MINNEAPOLIS - Randy Wittman signed a multiyear contract Wednesday to return as coach of the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Terms were not immediately available, but team spokesman Mike Cristaldi said the contract was signed Wednesday afternoon in a move that has been expected since the Wolves wrapped up a disappointing season by missing the playoffs for the third straight year.

Vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale said all along that he wanted Wittman to return, despite the team going just 12-30 after the assistant took over for the fired Dwane Casey in January.

The Timberwolves were 20-20 when McHale fired Casey after just 1 1/2 seasons. He said at the time that he was looking for more consistency from a team that had too many peaks and valleys under the first-time head coach.

McHale turned to Wittman to smooth things out, hoping his experience running the Cleveland Cavaliers would serve him well in his new job. But the Timberwolves were consistently bad under Wittman, who spoke openly of a lack of team chemistry and poor attitude from some players as things spun out of control.

When the season concluded, Wittman said there would need to be a wholesale attitude adjustment for things to work and was blunt in his assessment of the team.

"This team needs a shakeup," the coach said after the Timberwolves lost the season finale to Memphis back in April.

"We have to find guys that are caring for one another, playing for one another," he said later. "I don't think we have that right now."

Saddled with several long-term contracts that make moving players like Mark Blount, Troy Hudson and Mike James exceedingly difficult, the Timberwolves are hoping a full offseason for Wittman at the helm will be enough to get the team back on the right track.

The Timberwolves needed some luck in Tuesday night's draft lottery. But they were stuck right where they were supposed to be, with the No. 7 pick in June's draft. They will get some help there from what is widely regarded as a deep pool of players, but anything more will likely have to come from a trade, considering the rather thin crop of free agents and the Timberwolves' lack of room under the salary cap.

About the only significant move McHale can make would be to trade star Kevin Garnett, who has an opt-out clause in his contract after next season. But McHale said he has no plans to trade Garnett and Wittman said he would like to have No. 21 back in Minnesota next year.