Former Timberwolves star Kevin Garnett is expected to return to the organization in a front office role if and when Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez are officially approved as the team’s majority owners, reports Charley Walters of The St. Paul Pioneer Press (subscription required; hat tip to Sportando).
[RELATED: Arbitrators Rule In Favor Of Lore, Rodriguez In Timberwolves Ownership Dispute]
Walters stated way back in 2021 that he was hearing buzz about the possibility of Garnett becoming “heavily involved” in the Timberwolves’ basketball operations department when Lore and Rodriguez formally completed their purchase of the club from longtime owner Glen Taylor.
Jon Krawczynski of The Athletic, meanwhile, reported in 2022 that Lore and Rodriguez wanted to repair the organization’s relationship with Garnett, who feuded with Taylor after leaving Minnesota. Krawczynski said at the time that the incoming ownership group planned to retire Garnett’s jersey.
Lore and Rodriguez had appeared poised to take over majority control of the Timberwolves from Taylor during the spring of 2024, but that process was delayed when Taylor attempted to retain majority control of the franchise, claiming that the Lore/A-Rod group missed a payment deadline. That led to a legal battle that was resolved by an arbitration hearing earlier this month.
Although arbitrators ruled in favor of Lore and Rodriguez, the new ownership group will still need to be approved by the NBA’s Board of Governors before assuming control of the team.
Garnett’s long-running beef with Taylor began when a plan to rejoin the organization once his playing days were over fell apart following the death of former Timberwolves president and head coach Flip Saunders. Garnett, who believes Taylor reneged on an agreement between them, said in 2020 that he would never forgive the Wolves owner for it, adding, “I don’t do business with snakes.”
Garnett has repeatedly professed a love for Minnesota and for Timberwolves fans, so it makes sense that he’d be interested in rejoining the team in some capacity once Taylor is no longer calling the shots.
While Walters suggests that Garnett could be hired “as soon as” Lore and Rodriguez take over for Taylor, it’s unclear what sort of position he might take on. Walters’ 2021 report about the Hall of Famer potentially becoming “heavily involved” in the front office came a year before the club hired Tim Connelly as its president of basketball operations, so a role for Garnett may look different today than it would have four years ago.
Smart move by the new owners to bring him into the fold just to garner goodwill from the fanbase. Especially after the front office completely bungled the best team they had assembled in years.
Every time I read something about Taylor he seems like such a douche.
Smart move indeed but man it’s all gonna come down to those pockets this summer with them
Naw and Naz are 2 of the biggest names available on the market – I don’t think they will be able to keep both ( it put them over apron. 2 ) but they should as both are 100% needed. Hoping they surprise me and just pay the freight but not counting om it
It’s only money.
Yes. He can’t be any worse than their current coaches and managers.
Their head coach Chris Finchis a good coach, he didn’t make the asinine decision to trade KAT for Randle.
Some of us remember David Kahn and Ryan Saunders. Maybe I’m grading on that curve but I think the current coach and gm are the amongst the best if not the best we’ve ever had.
Garnett may have some knowledge on basketball playing ability and the importance of teamwork based on his own extensive experience as a player. Did he ever go to college or get a college degree? Real world experience often exceeds any benefit of having college credentials.
KG would be invaluable to the organisation…
Taylor is on that dodgy side of politics and his business morals reflect this…
It’s such a shame that Flip and KG never got to take over the Timberwolves… As well as the fact they had to put up with Glen as an owner… Things could of be so different during the 00s if they had an owner that was competent…