Minnesota Timberwolves: The pros and cons to Kevin Garnett entering ownership
By Ben Beecken
Exploring the pros and cons of Kevin Garnett as a potential owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
It’s true. Kevin Garnett is a legitimate candidate to be a partial owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Wolves are reportedly for sale, and as we all found out amid a flurry activity on Tuesday afternoon and evening, there are at least three groups interested in purchasing the franchise from Glen Taylor, who has owned the team since 1994.
One of those groups is confirmed to include Garnett, newly-minted Hall-of-Famer and easily the best player in Minnesota Timberwolves franchise history. Late on Tuesday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that the Wilf family, who owns the Minnesota Vikings, as well as Meyer Orbach, a New York real estate developer and current minority owner of the Wolves, also have their own groups that are bidding for the franchise.
All that to say, Garnett’s group is not without competition. We also don’t yet know who else is part of Garnett’s group; Garnett clearly will need some partners with serious capital to get the deal done.
The biggest news is perhaps the willingness of Garnett, and, apparently, Taylor to bury the proverbial hatchet for the second time in their long relationship. Just earlier this year, Garnett used some choice words to make his feelings known about Taylor, even going so far as to say that he won’t do business with him.
But then, after news was breaking fast and furious on Tuesday, including a comment made by Garnett on Instagram that tipped his hand a bit, KG himself took to Twitter to make himself inescapably clear.
My passion for the Minnesota Timberwolves to be a championship team is
— Kevin Garnett (@KevinGarnett5KG) July 21, 2020
well known but I have a deeper affection for the city of Minneapolis. I
once again want to see Minneapolis as the diverse and loving community
that I know it is. (1/2)
No two people love the city more than myself
— Kevin Garnett (@KevinGarnett5KG) July 21, 2020
and Glen Taylor and I look forward to trying to work with him to
achieve my dream. (2/2)
Longtime Timberwolves fans would be challenged to read those tweets without a bit of watering in the tear ducts. The Big Ticket wants to come back, and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to do it.
Of course, it isn’t all sunshine and roses, at least not yet. Even if Garnett is part of whatever group ultimately lands the franchise, there are both pros and cons to the celebrity/former player ownership angle.
Let’s first explore what would work about Garnett being an owner, and then take a look at the potential negatives.