Gersson Rosas has first-hand experience with the success of unconventional strategies, sustained by his 17 years with the Houston Rockets.
An equally unconventional strategy may be necessary if the Minnesota Timberwolves want to be contenders in the tough NBA Western Conference.
“We are going to question the norm with every step we take,” Rosas said.
The first Hispanic to lead the operations of an NBA team has come to a 30-year-old franchise that has been more synonymous with bad luck and reckless decisions than achievements on the court. The hiring of Colombian Rosas as president of basketball operations was approved by Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor as a remedy for one of the last failures in recent years – the hiring of Tom Thibodeau three years ago in the dual role of president and coach.
When Taylor and CEO Ethan Casson began the search, they noticed that Rosas seemed as confident and eager to join the franchise as they were to offer him the position. The Wolves turned to an independent firm to sign Thibodeau. This time, Casson spearheaded an interview process that included multiple members from various levels and departments of the organization.
“I wanted someone who could work with all the staff,” Taylor said. “Not only with the players, with the entire organization. Someone who felt that he was part of the team and understood the idea of teamwork ”.
The Timberwolves averaged the third-lowest turnout in the league last season, an announced number of 15,305 fans per game, and missed the playoffs after a 2018 comeback that ended a 13-year absence. The promotion in the commercial part is as difficult as in sports.
One of the reasons that made Rosas stand out among the four finalists – Chauncey Billups, Trajan Langdon and Calvin Booth – was his vision of a collaborative and innovative culture. During the Thibodeau era, the environment was more fractured.
“I think the organizations that have understood that, and I hope we are one of them, not only win, they do it at a high level,” said Casson.
Rosas briefly left the Rockets in 2013 to become general manager for the Dallas Mavericks, but returned because he decided he wasn’t a good fit. This time, with his wife, Susana, and their children Giana and Grayson, he felt the opportunity was right.
“When the resources exist this is a great market not only for the organization and the players, but also for my family,” said Rosas, who was introduced Monday at a press conference at the Target Center. “They not only interviewed me, but I interviewed them. And when I spoke to different organizations in the league, they stood out. “
Rosas moved his family from Bogotá to Houston, where he learned to love basketball in high school and began working as a coach after college. He started with the Rockets as an intern and worked his way up to vice president of basketball operations, a position he held for seven seasons.
The immediate task for Rosas will be to decide whether Ryan Saunders, backed by Taylor, should continue as coach. General manager Scott Layden, who took on more responsibility after Thibodeau’s firing on Jan. 6, is also in limbo. Rosas said Taylor has not imposed any pre-established conditions on the status of both.
Rosas credited Thibodeau with leaving a competitive roster, a team led by center Karl-Anthony Towns and surrounded by young talent and untapped potential. The biggest challenge, beyond rivals in the West, will be the salary cap. The hefty contracts of Towns and his enigmatic squire Andrew Wiggins have the Wolves on the edge. Ap