Timberwolves Want Kevin Garnett to End his Career in Minnesota
The Minnesota Timberwolves want to make an 11th hour deal to reacquire veteran forward Kevin Garnett, a legend in the Wolves organization, before the trade deadline. The deal would send Garnett to Minnesota and Thaddeus Young to the Brooklyn Nets.
Sources have said that both sides have been in serious discussions about the deal, which would in the end require the approval of Garnett even if both teams came to an agreement prior to the 3 p.m. Thursday deadline, since Garnett holds one of the six full no-trade clauses in the entire NBA.
Garnett has said many times over the past few weeks that he was not interested in leaving Brooklyn during the season, largely because he does not want to uproot his family during the season.
However, Minnesota, said sources, are hopeful that the opportunity to play out possibly his final season in the NBA as a member of the organization that drafted him in 1995 out of high school, and under Flip Saunders his longtime coach, could lead the veteran forward to reconsider.
A trade of this would also mean that the ultracompetitive Garnett would leave the playoff race in the Eastern Conference to play for a team at the bottom of the barrel in the West.
Garnett and Saunders remain close and Saunders is said to want a reunion with the Wolves’ most popular player in franchise history.
In Young, the Wolves possess a player Brooklyn has coveted. Billy King, the Brooklyn GM drafted Young while with the Philadelphia 76ers and is said to be interested in him playing for Brooklyn.
The Los Angeles Clippers and head coach Doc Rivers are hoping openly that Garnett would attempt to reach an agreement with Brooklyn for a buyout clause prior to March 1 so he could be eligible for the postseason for another club. However, Garnett seems not to be interested in a buyout.
Garnett said to date he had not thought too much about his personal situation but when the time came he would, but he is not interested in moving as he has more responsibilities today with family than he did before.
Garnett insists his mind his 100% with Brooklyn even though one of his best friends, Paul Pierce left the Nets during the summer to play for the Washington Wizards.
Last November Garnett said he would like to purchase the Timberwolves one day, but has not said how much longer he will play beyond the end of this season, which is his 20th in the NBA.
He played 12 seasons with Minnesota after being drafted fifth overall in the draft in 1995. He then was traded to Boston where he won his only NBA title in 2008.
