Rick Adelman may resign from Timberwolves over wife's health issues

Rick Adelman took a three-week leave from the Timberwolves in January. (Harry How/Getty Images)

Timberwolves coach Rick Adelman told NBA.com on Thursday that he may resign this summer if his wife continues to have health issues including undiagnosed seizures.

Adelman said he had twice contemplated quitting the team during the season.

Adelman, who took a three-week leave from the Timberwolves spanning 11 games in January, credited the franchise for supporting him.

“They’ve been terrific with everything,” he said of management, as wife Mary Kay was hospitalized and doctors tried to determine the cause of seizures. Now, clearly worn down by difficult months on the personal front and a challenging season on the court as the Timberwolves drown in a flurry of injuries, he admitted, “there’s a couple times I really struggled whether I should come back.” He later added: “I’m sure I’ll be thinking more about it as we move on here (through the season).”

Minnesota won two of 11 games in his absence with assistant Terry Porter serving as the interim head coach.

Adelman said Mary Kay is “doing better” and “maintaining right now. She’s just on a lot of medicine. We’ll just have to wait and see. We go back to the doctor in April and see what they have to say.” ”It’s unfair for me to talk about that when I’m asking these guys to finish the season off and compete,” Adelman, a private man, said before the Timberwolves played the Kings at Sleep Train Arena. “And that’s all I’m trying to do now. I think there will be a right time to look at everything. I don’t want to really talk about those types of things until it’s done.”

When asked about the possibility of not returning in 2013-14, Adelman told NBA.com, “I think it’s something I’m just going to have to sit down with my wife and family and just talk about and see where we’re going with this. The most important thing is where we’re going with her health. Whatever happens will happen naturally.