Mitchell: Wolves doing work while thinking of Flip

MINNEAPOLIS (KMSP) - Anticipation surrounded Timberwolves Media Day 2015 with a budding team and top draft pick, but heavy on everyone’s hearts was head coach and president of basketball operations Flip Saunders, who is undergoing treatment for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Saunders announced in August he was battling cancer but planned to assume all of his coaching duties, but the club officially announced Sam Mitchell would serve as interim head coach on Sept. 11.

“We're all concerned, but we all have a job to do here,” Mitchell said at a news conference. Mitchell added everyone is acting professionally to get their work in while also thinking of Flip.

General manager Milt Newton said Flip is continuing to recuperate, but he has not been in contact with the team per owner Glen Taylor’s instructions.

“First and foremost, my immediate concern is for the Saunders family and the health of Flip. Our priority right now is for him to regain his strength so that he can be 100 percent when he returns to his Timberwolves duties," Taylor said when Mitchell was named interim head coach.