Longtime Minnesota Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor is looking to sell the team to someone new. The headlines in recent days have been dominated by a group looking to purchase the squad led by Kevin Garnett, the greatest player in franchise history and someone who has been ultra-critical of Taylor in the past, but on Friday, we learned of another group led by a separate retired hooper.
According to Pat Graham and Dave Campbell of the Associated Press, Arron Afflalo and a group of investors with some serious financial muscle want to get involved in the bidding process. Not only that, but the group hopes to jump into the fray soon, as the report indicates that Afflalo and co. plan on bidding “no later than this weekend.”
The people familiar with Afflalo’s group said the team won’t be relocated. The 34-year-old Afflalo would be the face of the group, with venture capitalist Brock Berglund spearheading the financing. The only Black primary owner in the NBA now is Michael Jordan in Charlotte.
It’s a diverse group seeking to place minorities in positions of power and uplift the community in the wake of the death of George Floyd, the handcuffed Black man who died after a Minneapolis police officer pressed a knee into his neck for nearly 8 minutes.
Afflalo, who retired following the 2017-18 season, never played for the Timberwolves, but had a respectable career as a member of the Detroit Pistons, Denver Nuggets, Orlando Magic, Portland Trail Blazers, New York Knicks, and Sacramento Kings. He suited up for former Minnesota coach Flip Saunders as a member of the Pistons, and Saunders’ son, Ryan, is now in charge of the Timberwolves. Revered for his tenacity and savvy on the defensive end of the floor, Afflalo averaged 10.8 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game over his 11-year NBA career.
