The Minnesota Timberwolves did not have to look far to replace Micah Nori.
Coach Chris Finch revealed that longtime Wolves assistant Pablo Prigioni has been promoted to lead assistant, elevating one of the organization’s most trusted voices after Nori left Minnesota to become the Portland Trail Blazers‘ head coach.
Finch confirmed Prigioni’s expanded role during an interview with MinnPost’s Britt Robson. The move maintains continuity on a Minnesota bench that lost Nori after another deep playoff run.
Prigioni has been with the Timberwolves since 2019, giving him institutional knowledge that would be hard to replace from the outside. He understands Finch’s system, has established relationships with Minnesota’s players and already holds significant responsibility within the team’s offense.
His promotion was the natural solution once Nori departed.
Pablo Prigioni Earns Larger Timberwolves Role
Prigioni, 49, has built a reputation around the NBA as a sharp offensive mind with a particular feel for pace, spacing and guard development.
Those qualities should become even more important as Minnesota continues building its offense around Anthony Edwards and LaMelo Ball. Prigioni’s background as a point guard and his willingness to experiment have made him an important resource for a team attempting to balance multiple creators.
Prigioni spent most of his playing career in Europe before joining the New York Knicks in 2012 at age 35, making him the oldest rookie in NBA history. He also played for the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Clippers before retiring in 2017.
His transition into coaching was immediate. Prigioni briefly served as coach of Baskonia in Spain, joined the Brooklyn Nets as an assistant in 2018 and moved to Minnesota the following year.
The Wolves have since developed from a rebuilding team into a regular Western Conference contender. Although Finch has directed that transformation, Prigioni’s fingerprints have been visible in the offense’s emphasis on quick decisions and creating advantages before defenses become organized.
Prigioni Stayed Despite Knicks’ Interest
Minnesota’s ability to retain Prigioni last summer now looks especially significant.
The Knicks received permission to interview their former guard for a prominent role on Mike Brown’s coaching staff. Prigioni ultimately declined the opportunity and remained with the Timberwolves.
One year later, that decision has resulted in his most substantial NBA coaching role.
Replacing Nori involves more than changing seats on the bench. Lead assistants typically carry greater responsibility in game planning, strategy and communication between the head coach, players and the rest of the staff. The role can also become a launching point for future head-coaching opportunities.
Nori had been with Minnesota since 2021 and became one of the league’s most recognizable assistants. He assumed additional sideline responsibilities during the 2024 playoffs after Finch suffered a ruptured patellar tendon in a collision with Mike Conley.
Portland’s decision to hire Nori created a meaningful vacancy, but it also allowed Minnesota to reward an assistant who had repeatedly drawn interest elsewhere.
The Timberwolves are losing Nori’s personality and experience. They are not starting over.
By elevating Prigioni, Finch is entrusting the job to someone who already knows the personnel, the system and the expectations. For a team with championship ambitions, that continuity could matter as much as the promotion itself.
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