With Timberwolves ownership dispute nearly settled, will Kevin Garnett finally get his jersey retired?
MINNEAPOLIS — An arbitration panel's ruling on Monday cleared the way for Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore to take control of the Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx from Glen Taylor.
It could mean a great many things for the Wolves — a willingness to spend, a new stadium, possibly (but not likely) relocation — but perhaps the biggest question on fans' minds is what it means for franchise legend Kevin Garnett.
Fans have long called for Garnett's No. 21 jersey to be retired to the rafters of Target Center. But Garnett told The Athletic in 2020 that it wouldn't happen as long as Taylor owned the Wolves.
"Glen knows where I'm at, I'm not entertaining it. First of all, it's not genuine," Garnett said. "My years in Minnesota and in that community, I cherish. At this point, I don't want any dealings with Glen Taylor or Taylor Corp. or anything that has to do with him."
Garnett also expressed interest in owning the Wolves when Taylor first explored selling the team. He later pulled himself out of the running, writing in a social media post: "Thx Glen for being yourself n what I Kno you to be!!! GOOD LUCK."
After all he's done for the franchise, a jersey retirement is probably the least Garnett deserves from the Wolves. His arrival in 1995 kicked off a streak of playoff appearances for the Wolves that culminated in their first Western Conference Finals appearance in 2004. During his time in Minnesota, he made 10 All-Star games and three All-NBA first teams, not to mention his MVP award amid that WCF run. He still leads the Wolves in games played, points, rebounds, assists and offensive and defensive win shares.
The Wolves traded Garnett to the Boston Celtics in 2007 and they won a championship in his first season there. To add insult to Wolves fans' injury, the Celtics retired his jersey in 2022.
Garnett returned to the Wolves in 2014 to provide a veteran presence for the young squad, then retired in 2016.
Despite the acrimony between Garnett and Taylor, the Big Ticket still clearly has love for the franchise and the state it calls home. In his Hall of Fame speech in 2021, Garnett said his "only regret with Minnesota is I didn't get to bring a championship." In recent years, he has publicly supported the Wolves, praising young star Anthony Edwards and cheering for them in the playoffs.
Rodriguez and Lore still have a couple of hurdles to clear before they wrest majority ownership from Taylor, including a final payment and approval from NBA owners. But with Taylor nearly out of the way, Garnett is one step closer to getting his long-awaited and well-deserved flowers. Honoring the franchise's greatest player should be a top priority for the new ownership group.
