When it comes to former NBA player podcasts, few are as consistently entertaining as Jeff Teague's Club 520 podcast. The former Minnesota Timberwolves point guard hosts the show and treats his audience to humorous stories from his days in the NBA.
Much of the appeal around Teague's podcast is the simple, lighthearted nature of it. Jeff does not take himself too seriously at all, and in fact some would say that he even downplays his own career for the sake of self-deprecating humor. This format leads to some hilarious perspectives on topics outsiders may or may not know about from Teague's career.
Recently, Jeff shared a Timberwolves story that is sure to turn some heads around the fanbase. Talking about his free agency decision to make the move to Minnesota in 2017, Teague explained that he really did not want to play for the Wolves.
"I did not want to go to Minnesota," he said. "No shade to Minnesota, because y'all lit now. But when I was in the league, Minnesota was a place to go to die ... I went and died. My career literally was over once I went to Minnesota."
Teague: I went to Minnesota "for the money"
As per the usual, Teague held nothing back and told listeners how he truly felt about the situation. "I literally went for the money," Jeff said. When asked how fast he signed the deal, Teague responded by saying that he actually ended up with a smaller payday than anticipated because he truly did not desire to be in Minnesota.
Teague explained that his options during that 2017 offseason were Sacramento, Utah, Indiana and Minnesota, all of which he felt were 'bad options.' He initially wanted to jump at the Pacers' offer, but Jeff's agent advised against it, saying their offer of $21 or $22 million per year was a low-ball.
When coach Tom Thibodeau called back to follow up and let him know that their current offer was for three years and $57 million, Teague's agent reportedly agreed on Jeff's behalf. "I'm like, 'nah, I ain't going,'" said Teague. "He's like, 'I've never met somebody that's pissed about $57 million.' ... I'm just like, I don't want to be there."
Teague explained that his agent told him he was going to Minnesota, whether he wanted to or not. He apparently even voiced that they could get him traded later. After missing out on earning a bigger payday earlier that day, Teague explained that he really "wasn't feeling Minnesota," but said that they probably were not feeling him either.