<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div><div class='quotemain'></p> <div class="bi">Portland Was Almost Flip's Home</div> <div> <span style="font-style: italic">Nov 14</span> - Had things gone a little differently back in the summer of 2001, the Trail Blazers team the Pistons played Tuesday night might have been coached by Flip Saunders.</p> </p> "I was about five minutes away from taking the job," Saunders recalled before the Pistons' morning shoot-around. "Minnesota called back right at the last minute. I was actually in my office packing my stuff."</p> </p> "Things were not progressing with Minnesota and I was ready to roll out," Saunders said. "Minnesota called at the last second."</p> </p> Saunders actually took less money to stay with the Timberwolves, but he did so because he did not want to relocate his family. -- <font color="#000000">Detroit News</font></p></div></div>
