Timberwolves Appoint Matthew Caldwell as Chief Executive Officer
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The Minnesota Timberwolves have selected longtime NHL executive Matthew Caldwell to serve as the franchise’s Chief Executive Officer, the club announced on Aug. 27. Caldwell will officially assume the post on Sept. 2.
Under a 10-year contract, Caldwell will direct daily business operations and strategic planning for the NBA Timberwolves, WNBA Lynx and G League Iowa Wolves. He is the first high-profile hire made by new majority owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez since the NBA’s Board of Governors approved their purchase of the team.
Caldwell, 47, spent the past nine seasons as president and CEO of the NHL’s Florida Panthers, guiding the club through the most successful run in its history, capped by back-to-back Stanley Cup titles and a 2025 Sports Business Journal Team of the Year award. He originally joined the Panthers in 2014 as chief operating officer and was promoted to CEO in 2016 at age 36, then the youngest chief executive in U.S. professional sports.
“I’m inspired by Marc and Alex’s vision for Minnesota basketball and their commitment to excellence,” Caldwell said in a statement released by the team. “I look forward to building a lasting foundation that delivers the best experience in sports for our fans.”
In a joint statement, Lore and Rodriguez said Caldwell’s “proven track record” made him the right choice to lead the organization into “an innovative new era.”
Florida Panthers owner Vincent Viola called the move “bittersweet,” noting, “There are very few opportunities I would advise him to pursue, but working with Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore on a global platform like the NBA is at the top of that list.”
Caldwell replaces interim CEO Kelly Laferriere, who guided the franchise through the ownership transition and will remain with the organization as a senior advisor. President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly continues to oversee all basketball-related decisions.
Source: HoopsRumors
