Max Lefevre's Timberwolves Exit Sets Up More Changes to Coaching Staff

The Timberwolves found out this week that another one of their long-tenured staff will be departing to become a head coach. Just a month after Portland hired lead assistant Micah Nori away Minnesota, Max Lefevre has been named the newest head coach of Paris Basketball Team.

Notably, this is where former Timberwolves forward TJ Warren plays, and it's run by ex-Minnesota GM David Kahn. The news leaves a second hole on the Wolves bench that will need to be filled, even if Lefevre is a bit of an unknown, compared to Nori.

What Timberwolves lose with Max Lefevre leaving

Lefevre isn't attached to rising stars, like Chris Hines is with Anthony Edwards or James “Flight” White with Jaden McDaniels—or even Kevin Hanson has been with Joan Beringer. Instead, he is more of the traditional assistant that multiple different coaching found value in keeping.

Prior to joining Minnesota's staff in 2019, Lefevre spent four seasons at Texas Tech as the director of player development under head coach Chris Beard. In 2017-18, he helped the program make the Elite Eight, followed by a Final Four push in 2018-19. The team was led by guard Jarrett Culver, who would be drafted by the Wolves sixth overall following the season.

Lefevre signed on with the Timberwolves as a video coordinator and assistant player development coach under Tom Thibodeau to primarily work with Culver and some of the guards on the team. After Thibodeau was let go, he continued the role under Ryan Saunders and eventually, Chris Finch.

He was promoted to assistant coach in 2022 by Finch and continued his work developing younger players as well as assist the Wolves in scouting.

Now Lefevre will be moving back to his home country of France to coach the top team in the Betclic Elite League. Lefevre spoke on the opportunity at his introductory press conference in Paris.

“A few weeks ago, I was with the Minnesota Timberwolves preparing for next season. But when opportunities arise, you have to know how to seize them. In my career, I’ve never actively sought out the next step. So far, it’s worked out well.”

Who could step up for Timberwolves with Lefevre gone?

With Lefevre moving on, the Wolves now have to replace a top assistant and key developmental coach that was involved in game planning and developing the roster. The Wolves have prided themselves on promoting and developing their coaches from within. Therefore, it's likely that someone already on the coaching roster will be chosen to fill the spots.

With the lead assistant position, it's fair to look towards Pablo Prigioni, who has been a pseudo-offensive coordinator for the Wolves in recent years as well as being placed in charge of guard coaching and development. He, like Lefevre, was hired in 2019, and has seen his responsibilities steadily grow under both Saunders and Finch.

The other name to watch is that of Elston Turner, who was hired by Chris Finch in 2021 to help coach the defense, after spending the previous 21 seasons coaching across six franchises. His longest stretch came for former Minnesota coach Rick Adelman for the Kings and Rockets from 2000-2011.

As for the vacancy left by Lefevre, the Wolves again have a deep bench. Nathan Bubes just finished coaching the 2026 Wolves Summer League team and may be primed to take on more responsibility.

Kelly McCarty has been climbing the branches of the Wolves coaching tree after getting elevated up from the G-League Iowa Wolves last season. It also could be one of the newcomers to Iowa that see the promotion such as former NBA players Will Barton or Alonzo Gee.

In one month's time, the Wolves have seen two of their integral coaches get hired away for head coaching jobs. In Nori, they lost Finch’s lead assistant who became a fan favorite, and in Lefevre they lost a valuable contributor off the coaching bench despite having less spotlight on him. The pressure is now on Finch to determine who can keep this steady pipeline of strong coaching talent going.

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