Apr 21, 2014 05:00 PM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

As one of the NBA's more accomplished coaches makes his exit, the team he is leaving behind may be looking outside the league for his replacement.

Yahoo Sports reported Rick Adelman, coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves, is ready to call it a career. ESPN NBA insider Marc Stein said Florida's Billy Donovan, Michigan State's Tom Izzo and Iowa State's Fred Hoiberg are three of the leading candidates Minnesota will target.

Been discussing Izzo/Hoiberg for some time as candidates to replace Adelman, but here's a new name I'm told interests Wolves: Billy Donovan

— Marc Stein (@ESPNSteinLine) April 21, 2014

Stein wrote for ESPN Monday, the day news of Adelman's retirement broke, that those three college basketball elites are prominent targets for the Timberwolves to pursue. The main challenge in wooing any of those coaches will be convincing him of power forward Kevin Love's intent to stay with the team.

Love has evolved into one of the NBA's better players and is the new face of the Timberwolves' franchise. However, he is reportedly fed up with the team's consistently mediocre record and is looking forward to becoming a free agent after next season, Stein reported.

Both Hoiberg and Izzo have ties to either the Timberwolves organization or to Flip Saunders, the president of basketball operations. Stein said Donovan, who came close to becoming the coach of the Orlando Magic some years ago, Izzo and Hoiberg will all at least "listen to the call when it comes."

CBS Sports' Gary Parrish reported unnamed sources maintained that Izzo and Hoiberg have been favorites to replace Adelman before this offseason. Izzo was an assistant coach at Michigan State from 1983 to 1995 and has served as the head coach since. Still, Parrish agreed with Stein, reporting the Spartans coach would have to listen to an offer from his old friend.

Adding to the intrigue, after naming Phil Jackson their president, the New York Knicks wiped out their entire coaching staff. Jackson has expressed he wants to build around forward Carmelo Anthony and the two create a highly enticing player-president duo for any coach looking for a new job.

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