For the first time since 1996, Gregg Popovich will not open the season as head coach of the Spurs. Michael Malone was fired with three more games in 2024-25 during his 10th year with the Nuggets. Taylor Jenkins received the same treatment with nine games last season in his sixth year with the Grizzlies. Tom Thibodeau was fired after five years as head coach of the Knicks.
These changes in the main coaching have helped to allow Timberwolves coach Chris Finch to be one of the most fixed head coaches in the NBA.
Only five head coaches are longer with their team than Chris Finch
On February 22, 2021, Minnesota Finch hired to become their 14th head coach in the franchise history. He replaced the recently liberated Ryan Saunders. It was a somewhat surprising recruitment when Finch came outside the organization without NBA head coaching experience. He was assistant coach at the Raptors before he was brought in by Minnesota.
The NBA sees changes in head coaching quite often. It happens even after the team is successful, as is apparent from the Knicks that Thibodeau dumps after achieving their first Eastern Conference Finals in 25 years. That is why, despite the fact that Finch prepares for only his fifth full season as the head coach of the Timberwolves, he is already one of the longest submitted in the competition. In fact, he is the sixth most determined from the 30 active head coaches.
With Popovich disappeared, Erik Spoelstra takes over from the heat as the longest withheld. He has held his position since April 2008.
The other four that are more stuck than Finch are Steve Kerr with the Warriors (May 2014), Billy Donovan with the Bulls (September 2020), Tyronn Lue with the Clippers (October 2020) and Mark Daigenault with the Thunder (November 2020).
Only behind Flip Saunders for the longest time with Timberwolves
A franchise from Timberwolves that has had many failed seasons has not had many long -term head coaches either. Finch has held the position for some time than anyone but one man.
Of course that man is Flip Saunders. He was the head coach of the team for 819 regular season matches. Finch, with 369 regular seasonal competitions, has a long way to go before he surpasses him.
Finch is one of only three Wolves head coaches, together with Saunders and Tom Thibodeau, to coach them in the play -offs. His 42 career postseason competitions are only five behind the 47 of Saunders.
#lifetime #Chris #Finch #wolves #matched #active #coaches