FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. -- Matthew Caldwell is stepping down as the business operations president of the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers and accepting a 10-year deal as CEO of the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves and WNBA's Minnesota Lynx .

The teams announced the deal Wednesday. Caldwell will begin overseeing "day-to-day business operations and high-level strategic initiatives for the Timberwolves, Lynx, and [the G League's] Iowa Wolves" on Sept. 2.

It's a major move by new Timberwolves and Lynx owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez, who assumed full control of those franchises earlier this summer.

"I love the NHL. I've enjoyed hockey and I'm a big fan of it," Caldwell said. "But the NBA is just a much bigger, global platform. I really believe in Marc and Alex an

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