Apparent end to Timberwolves ownership saga leaves unanswered questions

The Timberwolves ownership saga between Glen Taylor and a group led by former MLBer Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore has reached an apparent end. However, questions linger.

On Monday, an arbitration panel ruled in favor of Rodriguez and Lore, 2-1, after Taylor backed out of a previously agreed-upon sale after he argued Rodriguez and Lore missed a payment installment deadline. However, arbitration found Rodriguez and Lore should have been granted a 90-day extension, allowing the sale to be finalized against Taylor's wishes.

Taylor, who also agreed to sell the WNBA's Minnesota Lynx as part of the transaction, shared his disappointment with the decision in a statement, adding, "We will review this decision thoroughly prior to making any further comment."

The arbitration doesn't guarantee Rodriguez and Lore will become the teams' owners. Per ESPN NBA insiders Brian Windhorst and Shams Charania, 23 of the league's 30 owners must approve the sale, which could be problematic considering Taylor has tried to back out of it. 

"Usually a formality," Windhorst and Charania write, "this vital step would require the NBA's board of governors to weigh the unprecedented question of whether to approve a sale if the incumbent owner is against it."

"Lore and Rodriguez have met with dozens of team owners in recent months in an attempt to win support," Windhorst and Charania added. 

The warring parties went after each other through the media last year. Rodriguez and Lore, who played a role in hiring Timberwolves president Tim Connelly, suggested Taylor was experiencing seller's remorse after Minnesota pushed for the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference last regular season. (h/t Sportico)

In April 2024, sources told ESPN that Rodriguez and Lore planned to slash the Timberwolves' payroll below the luxury tax.

Per Spotrac, Minnesota has the league's second-highest luxury tax bill this season ($91 million), only trailing the Suns ($152.3 million).

It's worth monitoring how invested the potential new ownership is in building a sustainable Western Conference contender.

For his part, Lore tried to quell concerns after the arbitration ruling.

“I’m flush with cash. I’ve got literally hundreds of millions of dollars in the bank, ready to invest in the Wolves and bring home a championship,” Lore said. (h/t Minnesota Star Tribune)  

Depending on how owners vote, Lore could soon have the chance to put his money where his mouth is.