Kevin Garnett Returns to Timberwolves and Lynx in Comprehensive Off-Court Role
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Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett has reached an agreement to rejoin the Minnesota Timberwolves and the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx in a newly created position that spans business operations, community outreach, fan engagement and content development, sources told ESPN on Thursday.
As part of the arrangement, the Timberwolves will retire Garnett’s No. 21 jersey during one of the next two seasons, ending a nine-year impasse that began after his playing career concluded in 2016. Garnett had stayed away from the organization following a dispute with former owner Glen Taylor, but he has since built a relationship with current governors Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez that paved the way for his return.
The agreement was finalized this month in discussions involving Garnett’s business manager, Rich Gray, and attorney George Daniel, according to sources.
Garnett, a 15-time NBA All-Star, remains Minnesota’s career leader in points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks, and he is the only player in NBA history to top a franchise in all five categories. He also remains the Timberwolves’ lone MVP, claiming the award for the 2003-04 season.
During his first stint in Minneapolis, Garnett guided the Timberwolves to eight consecutive playoff appearances from 1996-97 through 2003-04, the latter season marking the club’s first postseason series victory until its run to the 2024 Western Conference finals.
Since agreeing to purchase the team at a $1.5 billion valuation in 2021, Lore and Rodriguez have emphasized strengthening the organization’s culture and reconnecting with former players and staff, with Garnett topping the list. Their tenure has included significant spending on the front office—highlighted by president of basketball operations Tim Connelly—three straight seasons in the luxury tax and ongoing planning for a new downtown Minneapolis arena within the next decade.
The Timberwolves are 17-10 and once again competing for playoff positioning in the Western Conference after back-to-back trips to the conference finals.
Source: ESPN
