Timberwolves sign HC Chris Finch to multiyear extension

The Timberwolves have signed head coach Chris Finch to a multiyear contract extension, the team announced Monday in a press release. The assistants on Finch’s staff have also be extended.

Shams Charania and Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic (Twitter link) first reported that Finch and his coaching staff were receiving multiyear extensions.

A former assistant coach in Houston, Denver, New Orleans and Toronto, Finch took the reins in Minnesota midway through the 2020-21 following Ryan Saunders‘ dismissal. He guided the Timberwolves — who got off to a 7-24 start — to a 16-25 finish last season, then helped take the club to another level in ’21-22.

Minnesota finished this season with a 46-36 record, good for seventh in the Western Conference. It’s the Wolves’ second-best record since 2004 and puts them in position to earn just their second playoff berth since then, assuming they can win a play-in game this week.

“Chris has done a tremendous job creating stability and consistency for this franchise and building a winning mentality,” the Timberwolves said in a statement attributed to their ownership group. “We look forward to supporting him throughout the years while he continues achieving the goals he and his staff have set out for the team.”

The Wolves are in the midst of an ownership transition, with Glen Taylor planning to hand majority control over to Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore in 2023. Finch’s extension — and the statement from team ownership — is a strong signal that he has the full support of Rodriguez and Lore in addition to Taylor.