Timberwolves fire head coach Rambis

Los Angeles (dpa) - After months of speculation, rumour became reality on Tuesday as the Minnesota Timberewolves fired head coach Kurt Rambis in the wake of two dismal seasons.

Rambis played nine seasons for the Los Angeles Lakers, helping them win four NBA titles. He served as an assistant with the team under coach Phil Jackson for seven seasons before signing a four-year deal in August 2009 to lead Minnesota.

In his first full-time head coaching job, Rambis guided the Timberwolves to a 32-132 record, including a league-worst 17-65 last season.

"I want to thank Kurt for his contributions to our franchise and wish him the best in his future endeavors," Minnesota president of basketball operations David Kahn said in a statement.

"It is always hard to make these decisions. It is especially hard when it involves somebody of Kurt's reputation. Even so, this is the right time for us to make a head coaching change now that we've identified our roster and its specific needs."