Overview
- Coach Chris Finch confirmed that longtime assistant Pablo Prigioni was elevated to lead assistant after Micah Nori left the Timberwolves to become the Portland Trail Blazers’ head coach.
- The promotion, reported across multiple outlets on Sunday, September 20, 2026, formalizes an internal succession that keeps the coaching staff intact rather than bringing in an external hire.
- As lead assistant Prigioni will take on expanded duties in game preparation, in-game strategy, and communication between Finch and players, with a specific emphasis on shaping the team’s offense.
- Prigioni has been on Minnesota’s staff since 2019 and is credited with helping modernize the Wolves’ offense through pace, spacing and 3-point principles, and he has built strong relationships with core players.
- The move validates Minnesota’s retention of Prigioni after New York’s 2025 attempt to hire him and raises his profile as a potential head-coaching candidate if the Timberwolves remain a top Western Conference team.