Timberwolves Rumors: Kevin Garnett could join new ownership group

The Minnesota Timberwolves incoming ownership group is continuing to look for ways to make their mark on the franchise. Could Kevin Garnett be part of the next big splash?

Timberwolves Rumors: Kevin Garnett could join new ownership group

It’s been roughly nine months since tech billionaire Marc Lore and former Major League Baseball superstar Alex Rodriguez became known as incoming owners of the Timberwolves and about six months since the transaction became official.

While Lore and Rodriguez are minority owners at the moment, they’ll have a controlling stake in the franchise in less than two years. And if the first several months are any indication, they don’t intend to stay in the background as they learn the ropes of NBA ownership from outgoing majority owner Glen Taylor.

The pair went on something of a mini media tour late last summer and has been fairly visible at Target Center this year, including attending Sunday’s win over the Brooklyn Nets.

Now, Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press is reporting that the pair is pushing to add Hall-of-Famer Kevin Garnett to the fold as a minority partner in the Timberwolves.

Adding Kevin Garnett to the Timberwolves ownership group is a no-brainer

On its face, the idea of adding Garnett to the ownership group is a no-brainer.

After all, it’s been less than a year since Garnett and Taylor got into another public back-and-forth in the media regarding Garnett’s alleged candidacy to purchase the Wolves prior to the Lore-Rodriguez agreement. Of course, the idea that Garnett was ever a serious suitor to buy the team in the first place is the entire point of contention from Taylor’s side.

Clearly, Garnett wants to be part of the franchise moving forward, and becoming a minority stakeholder in the team is the easiest way to go about doing just that.

Of course, Taylor will own a controlling stake until December of 2023, so it would be a surprise if Garnett comes aboard before that point. Perhaps there’s a gentleman’s agreement between the new owners and Garnett that will allow him to come on board at that time and it isn’t made official until then, but that’s quite a ways in the future.

And not only that, but Taylor was reportedly planning to maintain a minority stake in the team even once Lore and Rodriguez take over majority ownership. Obviously, Garnett and Taylor could both be minority shareholders in the same team and avoid working together closely, but it would be an interesting — not to mention potentially explosive — turn of events.

Walters also notes in the above link that the Wolves would erect a statue of The Big Ticket outside Target Center, in addition to retiring his jersey. Both, of course, are well overdue for the best player in franchise history, but Garnett has resisted cooperation to this point because of Taylor’s presence.

It’s unclear if this report actually means that things are progressing on the Garnett front, or simply that progress will be made in 23 months, once the new owners take the reins full-time. Either way, it’s hard to see this as anything but positive momentum, as well as yet another indication that the Lore-Rodriguez group has its figurative finger on the pulse of the franchise.