RIP Flip Saunders

[Tr1boy]

I thought this was a joke.  This is really sad news. Don't take life for granted

[Moranis]

yeah sucks.

[RJ87]

Wow, I heard he was sick but it sounded like they expected it to be treatable. Condolences to family and the team. I feel for KG.

[Neurotic Guy]

Way too young.  So sad to hear this.

[Endless Paradise]

Ugh. What a rapid turn of events. Terrible.

[fairweatherfan]

Oh no!  What an awful turn.  I'd heard about his health problems but had no idea things had gotten that bad.  From the sounds of it they may have been trying to keep quiet about the severity of it.  RIP.  Too many NBA figures dying too young lately. 

[manl_lui]

Don't know much about the man, but I have to say that the recent work he did with the Timberwolves has set them up for potentially an elite future.

Off the top of my head:

Trading Trey burke for Shabazz muhammad and Gorgui Dieng... Seems like a win

Drafting Zach LaVine seems like a win.

Moving an all-star on the final year of his contract (Kevin Love) for a rookie #1 pick superstar prospect (Andrew Wiggins) was absolutely unprecedented.  That just doesn't happen normally.  It happened partially, because LeBron James... but also because Flip stubbornly refused to take anything less than Wiggins.

He put that team in a position that last year was purely developmental yet they kept things on the up-and-up... and ended up landing another phenom prospect in Karl Anthony-Towns. 

There's no team in the league with a potentially brighter future.   If they win a title some day, Flip deserves a lot of the credit.   

great point...and 2nd that

[pearljammer10]

Crazy news! Out of nowhere for me. RIP Flip and good luck to those TWolves!

[jambr380]

Terrible news - I had no idea. He coached KG the right way from when he was a rookie and helped him become the superstar that led us to a championship. I always liked him as a coach and thought he seemed like a really good guy. LarBrd is also definitely correct about his role in the TWolves bright future.

[Birdman]

Don't know much about the man, but I have to say that the recent work he did with the Timberwolves has set them up for potentially an elite future.

Off the top of my head:

Trading Trey burke for Shabazz muhammad and Gorgui Dieng... Seems like a win

Drafting Zach LaVine seems like a win.

Moving an all-star on the final year of his contract (Kevin Love) for a rookie #1 pick superstar prospect (Andrew Wiggins) was absolutely unprecedented.  That just doesn't happen normally.  It happened partially, because LeBron James... but also because Flip stubbornly refused to take anything less than Wiggins.

He put that team in a position that last year was purely developmental yet they kept things on the up-and-up... and ended up landing another phenom prospect in Karl Anthony-Towns. 

There's no team in the league with a potentially brighter future.   If they win a title some day, Flip deserves a lot of the credit.   

He also brought in Kevin Garnett, tayshaun Prince, and Andre Miller to help the young guys grow up on and off the court

[PhoSita]

[SparzWizard]

Really loved him and had a high respect for him when he was coaching for the Pistons. Leading that 'ol Pistons squad to multiple Eastern Conference Finals appearances.

RIP Flip.

[MJohnnyboy]

Like what Larbrd33 said, it's a shame this had to happen now especially in the wake of what Flip has done with the Timberwolves since going back to Minnesota. The Timberwolves have established a phenomenal young team with the right vets to guide them. I don't expect them to be good this year but 2-3 years from now they will be a force to be reckoned with.

RIP Flip.

[csfansince60s]

Sad picture. Sad story. Condolences to his family, the Wolves, especially KG.

KG's mentor.

............But his best days came in Minnesota, where he nurtured Kevin Garnett from a teenager who jumped straight from high school to the NBA in 1995 and helped turn the woeful Wolves into a perennial playoff team.

The Timberwolves had started to practice on Sunday when Newton got word from Taylor of Saunders' death. Practice was halted and a devastated Garnett left the floor, walked to the parking garage at the practice facility and sat down in the spot marked for Saunders. He posted a picture of the moment on his Facebook page with the message "Forever in my heart ..."

http://www.nba.com/2015/news/10/25/flip-saunders-obit/index.html

Only 60! Geesh!

[Donoghus]

Just absolutely awful news.