NBA: Report: Mitchell to sub for Saunders

Sam Mitchell will take over as Minnesota Timberwolves interim head coach while Flip Saunders is being treated for cancer, according to multiple reports on Thursday.
Saunders, the Timberwolves’ head coach and president, announced during the summer that he has Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He previously said he planned to continue working while undergoing treatment for “very treatable and curable” cancer.
Since the 60-year-old Saunders was diagnosed in June, he has been undergoning chemotherapy.
Saunders took over as team president in 2013 and replaced Rick Adelman as head coach last seeason. The Timberwolves finished with a 16-66 record in 2014-15.
Mitchell has coaching experience, having served on Saunders’ staff last year as an assistant. Before that, he was the Toronto Raptors head coach from 2004 to 2008 and won the NBA Coach of the Year award in 2007.
The 52-year-old Mitchell has a 156-189 career record as a head coach, including two playoff appearances.
Mitchell, a 13-year NBA veteran, also played for Saunders during his career.