Kevin Garnett breaks silence as Timberwolves ownership dispute ends, reveals thoughts on potential jersey retirement, front office role

After a longstanding battle, the T-Wolves and WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx are now officially under the hands of Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez, after it was reported that Glen Taylor has finally decided to transfer the full ownership of the franchise for $1.5 billion.

Last year, both sides were set for a legal battle related to payments. An arbitration was recently conducted in which the two eventually won the case and that the longtime governor was ordered to surrender the franchises.

Kevin Garnett reacts as Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez secures ownership of the Timberwolves

In the wake of this development around Minnesota, all eyes are watching Kevin Garnett.

Regarded as the greatest Timberwolves star ever, the 2003-04 NBA MVP harbors deep animosity toward Taylor, stemming from a perceived betrayal over a promised front office role in his retirement and the organization’s failure to properly honor the late franchise coach Flip Saunders.

Out of these, Garnett has refused to get his jersey No. 21 to be raised in the Target Center rafters.

There were past whispers that with Lore and Rodriguez finally taking in charge as the Wolves’ newest majority owners, Garnett could be on his way now to get the recognition he deserves in Minnesota which includes an executive position.

And in the latest episode of the KG Certified podcast with Paul Pierce, Garnett responded to the recent update about the Timberwolves ownership, showing an open mind.

“I don’t know. I’ve talked to [Lore] and [Rodriguez] before and yeah, I’m sure we’ll have another positive conversation,” he said.

And about a potential basketball operations role, Garnett stated: “I ain’t in that space, though. If I’m being honest. I’m locked in on something else … It’s just cool, but I ain’t in that space right now. I’m doing something else right now. I got another takeover that I’m locked in now.

“I don’t know if I can even devote my time to something like the NBA, you know? What I’m saying is that the NBA is an everyday thing and they need you everyday. I don’t have time to be an everyday thing.”

Garnett wants bigger beyond basketball for Minnesota

Since he retired in 2016, Garnett still maintained his support for the Timberwolves, even expressing his views on the ball club, including their decision to make the Karl-Anthony Towns and Julius Randle blockbuster trade.

While he is proud of becoming a part of T-Wolves history, the Hall of Famer let it be known that he doesn’t want to be associated with anything about the franchise that involves Taylor.

But with Taylor set to leave the Timberwolves franchise, Garnett plans something bigger as his homecoming to the Twin Cities is bound to reality.

“I would love to,” Garnett said about having greater influence in Minnesota. “That’s all I want, to be on the same page though, you know what I’m saying? I want to be on the same page. A lot of the concerns that I have or at least some of the things that I want to actually grow and develop in Minnesota have nothing to do with the court.

“The communities, the bondage, and bringing the city back together is kind of what I’m on. I want to go back, touch the guys, and have everybody be excited about the Timberwolves, the Twins, the Vikings, the Wild, the University of Minnesota, the Gophers, and all that.

“I’m on that. So if they want to do something like that, I’m with it. I’m all for that. But again, I’m building something and I’m locked in on something.”

Regardless of what would be the next for him and the franchise, we can only wait for that day where Garnett will finally return and see his No. 21 getting immortalized by the Timberwolves.