Flip Saunders, longtime NBA coach, dies of cancer

Minnesota Timberwolves’ coach Flip Saunders (Photo taken from Fox8.com)

MINNEAPOLIS  – Flip Saunders, the longtime NBA 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 Sunday, the team said. He was 60.

Saunders was diagnosed with Hodgkins lymphoma in June and doctors called it “treatable and curable” when the Minnesota 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.

Sam Mitchell has been named interim head coach of the Timberwolves and GM Milt Newton is heading the team’s personnel department.