Have no fear, NBA fans forged in the late 1990s. Kobe Bryant might not be retiring following the 2014-2015 season, and it appears Kevin Garnett isn’t, either. And even if the Minnesota Timberwolves legend opts to call it quits, he plans to be a league fixture for quite some time.
According to a report, the 38 year-old Garnett will sign a two-year deal with the ‘Wolves this summer, then join coach and president Flip Saunders in a bid to buy the team from owner Glen Taylor once his playing days are finally over.
Here’s Charley Walters of the Pioneer Press:
The contract extension Kevin Garnett, 38, will sign with the Timberwolves this summer will be for two years. During that period, Garnett and Wolves president-coach Flip Saunders are expected to try to form a group to buy the team from Glen Taylor.
The Wolves, for whom Taylor paid $88 million in 1994, were valued at $625 million last January by Forbes. Taylor, who turns 74 in April, is amenable to taking in more limited partners. But he’s not interested in selling his team until he finds out what the Atlanta Hawks, who are for sale and currently are taking bids, end up going for.
Garnett was acquired by the Timberwolves in a trade deadline swap with the Brooklyn Nets for Thaddeus Young. The future Hall-of-Famer was drafted by Minnesota straight from high school in 1995 and quickly established himself as one of the game’s marquee players, at one point leading his team to eight consecutive playoff berths and winning MVP in 2004. He was dealt to the Boston Celtics three years later after the ‘Wolves consistent failure to surround him with quality talent finally took its inevitable toll.
Following the Nets’ November 13 loss to the Golden State Warriors earlier this season, Garnett made no secret of his eventual plans to purchase the team that drafted him.
“I want to buy the Timberwolves. Put a group together and perhaps some day try to buy the team. That’s what I want,” he told Yahoo Sports.
Coupled with Saunders, he certainly has the necessary seed money to form an ownership group – Garnett is the league’s all-time leader in salaried earnings at approximately $323 million. Though the ‘Wolves will likely be worth at least three times that amount in two years, this latest report suggests that KG’s interest in buying his former and current team is legitimate.
And while that’s noteworthy in itself and sure to have a more lasting impact on the league than the extension of his career, basketball fans across the globe will just be heartened to know that Garnett’s time on the court seem to be far from over.
Garnett will make his hero’s return to Minnesota on Wednesday at Target Center versus the Washington Wizards.