Kevin Garnett is without question the greatest player in the history of the Minnesota Timberwolves organization, yet he and the team continue to be estranged.
Amid the news that “The Big Ticket” was selected last weekend for enshrinement in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame this summer, Garnett has opened up about his ongoing issues with the Timberwolves.
To put it plainly, Garnett places all the blame squarely on team owner Glen Taylor.
In an interview with Shams Charania of The Athletic published Tuesday, Garnett absolutely eviscerates Taylor, saying the owner went back on his word after Flip Saunders passed away in October 2015.
“Glen knows where I’m at, I’m not entertaining it,” Garnett said. “First of all, it’s not genuine. Two, he’s getting pressure from a lot of fans and, I guess, the community there. Glen and I had an understanding before Flip (Saunders) died, and when Flip died, that understanding went with Flip. For that, I won’t forgive Glen. I won’t forgive him for that. I thought he was a straight up person, straight up business man, and when Flip died, everything went with him.”
While stating he will always love Timberwolves fans who supported him for so many years and will “always have a special place for the city of Minneapolis and the state of Minnesota in my heart,” it certainly sounds like there’s little chance of a meeting of the minds between himself and Taylor.
“But I don’t do business with snakes,” Garnett said. “I don’t do business with snake (expletive). I try not to do business with openly snakes or people who are snake-like.”
Garnett was dealt to the Boston Celtics in 2007 after an outstanding stint with the T-Wolves, during which he earned MVP honors in 2004. He was traded back to Minnesota in a deal with the Brooklyn Nets during the 2014-15 season, playing five games under his beloved coach Saunders. He also played 38 games for the team during the 2015-16 season as well, a T-Wolves campaign upended by Saunders’ untimely death following a battle with Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
It is truly unfortunate that it doesn’t look like Garnett will be honored anytime soon for his unparalleled contributions to the Timberwolves organization, although it merits noting that the reasons behind why his jersey is not presently hanging in the Target Center rafters is at least partly his own decision.
It is worth noting, however, that Garnett’s issues with Taylor may have something to do with his desire to become involved in ownership of the Timberwolves.
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