MINNEAPOLIS — Flip Saunders, the longtime coach who won more than 650 games in nearly two decades and was trying to rebuild the Minnesota Timberwolves as team president, coach and part owner, died on Sunday, the team announced in a press release. He was 60.
Saunders was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma in June and doctors called it “treatable and curable” when the Timberwolves made the diagnosis public in August. He took a leave of absence from the team in September after complications arose during his recovery.
Saunders went 654-592 in 17 seasons with the Timberwolves, Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards, whom he coached from 2009 until he was fired early in the 2012 season.