A roster filled with players hand-picked by Flip Saunders went through a workout overseen by a group of assistants and front office personnel hand-picked by Saunders in a state-of-the-art practice facility borne of his dreams and vision.
Wolves leaders are dedicated to carrying out Flip's blueprint
October 27, 2015 at 5:01AM
Flip's presence — both in somber reflection and the foundation that he built — was unequivocal on a day of mourning inside the Timberwolves organization.
"We're all here because of Flip," General Manager Milt Newton said.
The organization lost its patriarch with Saunders' death. He was their leader, their coach, their president of basketball operations, their part owner.
He was everything to everyone, and so how do they begin to fill that void when one man meant so much to the entire operation?
In short, they can't, at least not right away.
The immediacy of this heartbreak requires not a long-view perspective but one that focuses on putting one foot in front of the other, one step at a time toward the hope of healing.
The Wolves lost their voice, but Saunders' vision cannot be obscured in this time of grief. He poured so much of himself into his blueprint and believed so strongly in the direction, that the Wolves owe it to him, to his legacy and to themselves to carry forward with his mission.
The fulfillment of Flip's blueprint rests largely with two men tasked with sharing the leadership void: Newton and interim coach Sam Mitchell.
Newton assumes control of the big-ticket basketball decisions. He understands Flip's vision intimately, having worked side by side with him here and previously in Washington.
They spent a lot of time together shaping the future of the organization and formulating an overall plan that finally makes sense.
Saunders assembled a young, talented core built around consecutive No. 1 overall picks, Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns. He surrounded them with complementary pieces of promising youngsters and veterans who bring experience and expertise.
The roster is not a finished product, title contender or even a playoff team, but Flip's vision creates hope that a grand payoff might materialize someday soon.
"I was there from the beginning in regards to crafting how the team was going to go forward," Newton said. "It's just a matter of us going forward and putting that plan into process. … Having had countless conversations with Flip and knowing how he thinks, I think it's a whole lot easier for me to continue to implement the vision."
Newton said owner Glen Taylor has granted him and Mitchell "autonomy" to make important decisions. Whether Taylor eventually hires another president of basketball operations remains a long-term question, for another time.
The focus remains on Saunders' family and his team. The season begins Wednesday, which means Mitchell must navigate the cruel reality of getting his players mentally and emotionally prepared to play.
His locker room is filled with hurting souls right now.
"You just let them be who they are," Mitchell said. "I'm not going to counsel guys on how to deal with their emotions. If you feel like crying, that's OK. If you need a quiet moment or a quiet space to sit and reflect, then you need to do that. There's no book."
Mitchell also understands the blueprint that Saunders implemented in regard to developing young talent above all else. Wins and losses matter because they represent a tangible sign of progress. But Saunders held strong convictions about the process of building something sustainable with his young nucleus.
Mitchell's first challenge will be managing the ebbs and flows of emotion in the coming days and weeks. There will be tough times — the first game without Flip, the first home game without Flip and so on.
Mitchell said he will stress the good moments they shared.
"That's the thing I'm going to think about, the good times," he said. "I'm not going to think about the last month. I'm not going to think about [Sunday]. Just think about all the fun that we had and how I learned from him as a player and coach."
Everyone inside the organization carries a piece of Flip with them. Things he taught, lessons they learned, memories that will stand time.
His vision for this group was unmistakable. He believed passionately in his plan. His basketball family wants to honor his memory by fulfilling his dream for them.
"Us making him proud," Newton said, "I believe that's the way that we can do that."
Chip Scoggins • chip.scoggins@startribune.com
After trailing from the first basket to the final 69 ticks, the Timberwolves defeated a Phoenix team that lacked key players but had Devin Booker, who scored 44 points.
