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Timberwolves Fire Rambis, Eye Blazers Assistant Bickerstaff?

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Joe Freeman of The Oregonian reports that the Minnesota Timberwolves have formally asked the Portland Trail Blazers for permission to speak with assistant coach Bernie Bickerstaff about their head coaching position. ------------------- The Minnesota Timberwolves have asked the Blazers for permission to interview asst coach Bernie Bickerstaff for their head coach position. Blazers president Larry Miller said yes to the T-Wolves' request late last week. Miller did not know when/if Bickerstaff will interview. ------------------- Current coach Kurt Rambis is all but fired. Bickerstaff has been linked to the job for a few weeks now and his son, J.B., is currently a Timberwolves assistant. Bickerstaff joined Blazers coach Nate McMillan's staff during the summer of 2010. Update (Tuesday, 9:44 AM): Rambis has finally been fired. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports reiterates that Bickerstaff is one of "two top candidates" along with Milwaukee Bucks assistant coach Kelvin Sampson. Update (Tuesday, 10:09 AM): Sampson has reportedly been hired by the Houston Rockets to serve as their lead assistant coach according to Jonathan Feigen of the Houston Chronicle. Marc Spears of Yahoo! Sports is now reporting that Timberwolves assistant J.B. Bickerstaff is headed to the Rockets to serve as an assistant as well. That escalated quickly! Blazers president Larry Miller offered a statement last night. Freeman quoted McMillan in this article as well. ------------------- "Bernie’s been in that position before," McMillan said of being a head coach. "So we’ll see what happens. I don’t want to speak for Bernie, but I know he’s extremely happy with Portland and being here working with me. He’s said time and time again he likes where we are and what we’re doing. It’s going to have to be something really attractive to go." ------------------- -- Ben Golliver | benjamin.golliver@gmail.com | Twitter