The T'Wolves are hiring Rockets Exec VP/Basketball Operations Gersson Rosas as the team's next President of Basketball Operations, concluding a "process that began the final day of the regular season," according to Chris Hine of the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE. Rosas "beat out three other candidates" the T'Wolves interviewed: Nuggets Assistant GM Calvin Booth, ESPN's Chauncey Billups and Nets Assistant GM Trajan Langdon. T'Wolves Owner Glen Taylor empowered team CEO Ethan Casson to "lead the search." Casson brought in the candidates "with Taylor making the final decision." Rosas "made his mark" with the Rockets by focusing on "analytics and player development." Rosas, a Colombia native, will "become the NBA’s lone Latino top executive." He will have "control over all operations on the basketball side." Among his first orders of business "will be deciding on the futures" of GM Scott Layden and interim coach Ryan Saunders, who "both have good relationships with Taylor" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 5/2). In Houston, Jonathan Feigen noted Rosas had "been a candidate" for GM positions with the Pelicans, 76ers, Wizards, Nets and Hornets in recent years (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 5/2).
STRONG RESUME: THE ATHLETIC's Jon Krawczynski cited sources as saying that Rosas emerged as the T'Wolves' "lone finalist thanks to his polished presentation, 16 years of experience in helping Daryl Morey and Mike D’Antoni turn the Rockets into a Western Conference contender and the belief that he can help unite all levels" of the organization. The T'Wolves wanted to "move as quickly as possible to get a new leader in place before the draft lottery and combine in the middle of this month." Casson assembled a group of candidates that "reflected the organization’s push for a younger executive with a diverse background, an excellent communicator and a history of either high-level achievement in the league" or experience in an organization that is "known for player development" (THEATHLETIC.com, 5/1). In Minneapolis, Jim Souhan writes the T'Wolves' process was "thorough and logical." Rosas is a "safe pick with upside." He is "too experienced not to recognize" the T'Wolves' "systemic problems." He may also be "perceptive enough to recognize the franchise’s advantages -- an owner who will spend big, a superstar in the making" in C Karl Anthony Towns, and a "fan base that will respond to quality basketball" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 5/2).
