The Minnesota Timberwolves weren't expected to drag their feet on hiring a new head coach to replace Kurt Rambis. That's proven to be true, too, as the team will bring in its third candidate on Friday for an interview with the front office.
Bernie Bickerstaff, a current Portland Trail Blazers assistant who has previous head coaching stops with the Seattle SuperSonics, Denver Nuggets, Washington Bullets and Charlotte Bobcats, will meet with the team on Friday. CSN Northwest's Dwight Jaynes was the first to report the interview date, but the Wolves inquired about Bickerstaff's availability even before officially firing Kurt Rambis.
If Bickerstaff is ultimately chosen to be the Timberwolves next head coach, it'll mark a bit of cruel irony as his son -- former Timberwolves assistant John-Blair Bickerstaff -- took a similar position with the Houston Rockets right before the firing of Rambis became official. The younger Bickerstaff was expected to either be a head coaching candidate himself or, if agreed to by both parties, serve under his father for a season before taking the Wolves' reins in the future.
Bickerstaff's all-time coaching record is 415-517 in 932 career games along with an underwhelming 12-21 record when his team advances to the playoffs.