FanShot

NBA Coaching Carousel

27

The Wolves loudly denounced a recent report from CBSSports.com's respected Ken Berger that Rambis, with two fully guaranteed years left on his contract, is facing immediate danger with Minnesota on a humble 20-62 pace after last season's 15-67 finish. And here's why: Wolves general manager David Kahn, according to sources close to the situation, hired Rambis with the understanding Minnesota would weather struggles last season and this season while waiting for Spanish guard Ricky Rubio to finally hit these shores. Firing Rambis before he gets the chance to coach Rubio -- with the Wolves still stubbornly believing they'll have him next season -- is an audible Kahn doesn't want to call. Could Wolves owner Glen Taylor step in and make a change anyway? Plausible but highly unlikely, sources say, since Rambis hasn't exactly been blessed with a ready-to-contend crew. Taylor, furthermore, isn't about to eat two years of coaching salary and then spend on a replacement at the same time that the Taylor-led NBA Board of Governors is seeking drastic reductions in operating costs in forthcoming labor negotiations. From Marc Stein on ESPN