9 players the Minnesota Timberwolves gave up on too soon

Number III: Kevin Garnett

There will always be a bit of smoldering rage whenever Minnesota Timberwolves fans talk about “The Trade.” Kevin Garnett was revered by the fans, as a true NBA professional who was not only an incredible player, but an incredible presence in the Timberwolves locker room, as well as an indomitable leader on the basketball court.

During his tenure with the team, the Minnesota Timberwolves had an unbelievable run of eight consecutive NBA Playoff appearances. When that streak came to a hard halt, the ever-competitive Garnett wanted the team to make an effort to improve the roster and return to the playoffs, but that would not happen in his remaining time with the Timberwolves.

Instead, the team would continue to get maximum production with Garnett, but the team would continue to lose ground to other teams. That set the stage for the villainous Boston Celtics to strike. They amassed a package of picks and players that looked irresistible on paper, so irresistible that the Minnesota Timberwolves consented. The belief on the Minnesota Timberwolves side was that Garnett had a couple of playing years.

Garnett would go on to compete for eight more seasons in the NBA, six seasons with the Boston Celtics before finally finishing out his NBA career with two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets.  He will always be revered by Minnesota Timberwolves fans. Unfortunately, he had to change his zip code to win an NBA Championship.