The Minnesota Timberwolves will have head coach Rick Adelman back on the sidelines for the 2013-14 season after months of speculation regarding the fate of the T-Wolves' leader, whose wife dealt with a serious medical condition last season.
ESPN.com reports that Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor has confirmed that the coach will be guiding the squad again led by All-Star forward Kevin Love and young guard Ricky Rubio.
"Yes, he did [say he's coming back]," Taylor was quoted by the newspaper as saying.
Adelman brought his entire coaching staff to his place in Portland, Oregon last week to prepare them for the upcoming season. There was an air of doubt on whether Adelman would be ready for the grind of the new season following a trying 2012-13 season that saw him miss several games to attend to his sick wife.
Adelman, 67, claimed his wife was suffering from seizures. He was forced to take a three-week leave from the team. The absence of their mentor plus the injury to top player, Kevin Love, were among the distractions that the Wolves had all season long. The team eventually missed the playoffs with a 31-51 record.
Adelman makes around $5 million a year with his contract set to expire after the 2014-15 season. Now on his 22nd year as an NBA coach, he has also mentored the Portland TrailBlazers, Sacramento Kings, Golden State Warriors and Houston Rockets. The Wolves hope that his return will boost the young team's spirit and give them a decent chance to contend for a playoff spot.
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