Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Alex Rodriguez's Change of Plans in Sale of Timberwolves Revealed

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Trevor Squire | Last updated Feb 10, 2025 8:51 PM ET

It was cocktails and cake when Alex Rodriguez and Alex Lore first discussed the purchase of the Minnesota Timberwolves from long-standing owner Glen Taylor.

Those warm feelings are gone after a long and difficult legal battle over the sale of the team reached its end on Feb. 10.

According to the Minnesota Star Tribune, a three-member independent arbitration panel voted 2-1 in favor of Rodriguez and Lore -- that Taylor did not have the right to back out of the sale of a 40% stake of the team last year.

The Athletic's Jon Krawczynski revealed that the original plans for the sale of the team included keeping Taylor, the team's owner since 1995, in the fold.

To put it frankly, plans have changed.

"Originally, the plan was for [Lore and Rodriguez] to eventually take over 80% of the team and for Glen Taylor to stick around in a 20% holding and still be around the franchise," Krawcynzski told KFAN Radio's Dan Barreiro.

"Certainly, that goodwill is out the window. There's a lot of bitterness. This was not a clean fight; this was a very emotional, knock down drag-out situation."

Krawcynzski said that the current plan, pending the final approval of the sale from the NBA, is to eventually buy out Taylor in totality.

"Lore and Rodriguez have amassed enough money to buy out Taylor completely. Their plan is to eventually buy 100% of the team and for Glen Taylor to be gone," Krawcyznski said. "Will he continue to be in his seats and watching? I'm not sure about that. There's some very raw feelings right now."

After months of waiting on a decision from arbitration, Lore and Rodriguez now have 90 days to finish paying Taylor for control over the franchise after the NBA's Board of Governors approves the sale.

“We are extremely pleased with today’s decision,” Lore and Rodriguez said in a statement. “We look forward to working with the NBA to complete the approval process and close this transaction so that we can turn our attention to winning championships in Minnesota for our incredible fans and the Twin Cities community.”

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: