The Minnesota Timberwolves interviewed Terry Porter earlier this week (the full story on that can be found in the previous post(s)), but today David Kahn and owner Glen Taylor sat down with Mike Woodson as a potential Wolves head coach candidate.

As Kahn & Taylor sat down with Woodson, eleven of the Minnesota Timberwolves employees (on the business side of things) were laid off according to a report from the Associated Press.  Many of the 11 employees were a part of the sales department and AP also reports that teams such as Charlotte among others, have begun to do the same amidst the NBA lockout.

Back to Mike Woodson, though.  Mike Woodson is the former Atlanta Hawks head coach.  Before all that however, Mike Woodson was an NBA player spending 11 seasons in the Association.  He was selected 12th overall in the 1980 NBA Draft to the New York Knicks he played with the Knicks from 80-81, with the Nets from 81-82, with the Kings from 82-86, the Clippers 86-88, 88-91 with the Rockets and just 1991 with the Cavaliers.  

He’s only had the one head coaching job—with the Atlanta Hawks from 2004-2010.  His career coaching records stands at 206-286.

Woodson’s defensive mindset is certainly what the Timberwolves need in order to become the outstanding team they’re capable of being, but David Kahn has been adamant that he wants a coach with a real up-tempo style of playing to get Ricky Rubio and all these young athletic guys up and down the court in a hurry.—Most would disagree that this is what the TWolves should be doing—I agree they should play a little more uptempo, but if that’s the case, they need to have an incredibly strong D, ‘run n gun’ only gets you so far!

Woodson was fired (or rather not resigned) before last season (and replaced by then assistant coach Larry Drew) after the Atlanta Hawks were eliminated from the playoffs by the Orlando Magic in an 0-4 sweep.

Woodson is also one of the last two candidates for the Detroit Pistons job—taking over for John Kuester who was fired a month or so ago (Boston assistant and former Nets head coach—Lawrence Frank is the ‘other candidate’).

That’s all for now, stay tuned for all your TWolves news, information & updates even through the lockout!  Thanks for reading and GO WOLVES!

UPDATE: June 1, 2011 9:30pmCT.  Along with Hunter & Douby, the TWolves will also be working out Orien Greene, J.R. Giddens, Cedric Jackson, Matt Janning, Alexander Johnson, Jerel McNeal, James Singleton, John Thomas, Matt Bouldin, DeShawn Sims, Darius Washington Jr., James Mays and Chris Daniels.

The Minnesota Timberwolves are holding free-agent workouts this Thursday & Friday at the Target Center in Minneapolis Minnesota.  

Among a crop of 15-some players, the Wolves are bringing in: center Steven Hunter and point guard Quincy Douby.

Douby would likely serve as a deep reserve in the backcourt, since it’s expected that free agent Sebastian Telfair won’t be back with the squad next year.  Douby hasn’t played since the ‘08-‘09 season, but in his three-year career he’s averaged 4.1ppg & 0.7apg in 10.7mpg.

Hunter would likely be another deep reserve in the frontcourt behind Darko Milicic & Nikola Pekovic.  Hunter hasn’t played since the ‘09-‘10 season with the Grizzlies.  However, in his 8-year career he’s been a bit of an NBA journeyman playing for 5 different teams (Orlando Magic, Phoenix Suns, Philadelphia 76ers, Denver Nuggets & Memphis Grizzlies).  In his NBA career he’s averaged 4.5ppg, 3.2rpg & 1.1bpg in 15mpg.

We’ll have more for you after the workouts are held, on who stood out and who has a chance at joining the Wolves for the ‘11-‘12 campaign.  Thanks for reading and GO WOLVES!