Flip Saunders Dead at 60

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, has died.

The 60-year-old Saunders was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in June and doctors called it “treatable and curable.”

But he took a leave of absence from the team in September after complications arose during his treatment, which included chemotherapy.

This week, owner Glen Taylor announced Saunders would not be back this season and asked team employees to give Saunders time to heal. The Timberwolves open the season Wednesday.

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