This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2016, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

The Jazz's competition in the NBA's Northwest Division became more formidable this week when the Minnesota Timberwolves hired Tom Thibodeau as coach and president of basketball operations and Scott Layden as general manager.

Thibodeau brings proven experience to a young team and Layden, a longtime Jazz employee, can use what he learned in San Antonio the past four seasons to help create a successful culture in Minneapolis.

The Timberwolves went 29-53 this season, finishing 11 games behind the Jazz — who were ninth in the Western Conference, just missing the playoffs. With young players such as Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, Minnesota is capable of making a big move in the coming years. So the Jazz not only have to worry about catching up to the teams ahead of them in the West, but they also have to hold off the Timberwolves.

Thibodeau will make them better, that's for sure. He may have worn out himself and his team after five years in Chicago, but he will be recharged after a year off and will have learned from that experience. During the 2010-11 season, his rookie year as a head coach, I followed the Bulls closely because of former Jazz players Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer. Thibodeau's impact was obvious, especially on defense. And watching Korver play now in Atlanta, I still see the signs of defensive ability that Thibodeau brought out of him.

That season included Jerry Sloan's last game as the Jazz's coach — and Thibodeau, directly or indirectly, altered Jazz history. His defense frustrated Deron Williams, resulting in some insubordination between Williams and Sloan. The next day, Sloan stepped down. Two weeks later, Williams was traded.

Thibodeau's career had changed four years earlier, thanks to the Jazz. Utah's Game 7 victory in a 2007 first-round playoff series at Houston marked the last game for Rockets coach Jeff Van Gundy and his staff. Thibodeau recovered nicely, landing a job with Boston and building a defense that helped the Celtics win a championship and later got him a head coaching opportunity with the Bulls.

Layden was in his second stint as a Jazz assistant when Sloan resigned and was replaced by Tyrone Corbin. A former Jazz and New York Knicks executive, Layden was overlooked when the Jazz hired Dennis Lindsey to become Kevin O'Connor's eventual successor as general manager. So he ended up filling Lindsey's vacancy as the Spurs' assistant GM in October 2012, and earned this promotion in Minnesota.

Thibodeau's title gives him the power over personnel decisions, but his focus on coaching will mean that Layden has a lot of responsibility. It will be fun to watch what they build together in Minnesota. The Jazz will play the Timberwolves four times each season and try to keep them from becoming a threat in a division that's already tough enough with Oklahoma City and Portland.