Timberwolves Stuck In NBA Purgatory, Retiring Kevin Garnett's Number 21 Would Help Bring Franchise Back To Life

Timberwolves owner, Glen Taylor
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We, Timberwolves fans have read it so many times about the team only making the playoffs once in the past 15 years. That is really pathetic but, it is fitting. It’s the truth. Over the last 15 seasons, the team has really sucked. The team hasn’t been relevant since before the only superstar player was traded away to the Celtics for a few draft picks, a few underwhelming players and a toaster. Ok, the toaster wasn’t included but, it should have been.

The truth of the matter is the team has been drowning in NBA Purgatory ever since Kevin McHale traded away the biggest, most talented player to ever play for the Wolves…. Kevin Garnett.

I could go into all the statistics KG put up during his time he spent as a Timberwolf and I could reminisce about the year KG was the league MVP… that was the same year the Wolves made it to the Western Conference Finals. Had Sam Cassell not done his stupid bouncing balls celebration dance and injured his groin, the Wolves wouldn’t have lost in 6 games. I digress.

Flip Saunders traded Thad Young to the Nets to bring KG back to Minnesota in 2015. He was well past his prime but, KG put his distaste for owner Glen Taylor aside and waived his no-trade clause to return to the Wolves. He did it out of respect to his longtime coach and friend, Flip Saunders. They had a plan for turning the Wolves around and KG was going to get the young Wolves in line before retiring. 

Garnett signed a 2-year deal to remain with the Wolves but, sadly, Flip Saunders died a few days before the 2015-16 season started. KG went on to play for his long-time friend, Sam Mitchell, who coached the season in Flip’s place.
Garnett retired after the 2015-16 season but, he waited until late summer to announce it. Why? He had another year at $9 million left on his contract. The reason he retired, left $9 million on the table and never looked back is because of one person… Owner, Glen Taylor.

Garnett has zero respect and no love for the Wolves owner. In an appearance on TNT talking about the Jimmy Butler fiasco, KG told the TNT crew that “Glen (Taylor) doesn’t know shit about basketball.”  
T-Wolves fans have been sort of confused about why Garnett has had nothing to do with the team since he retired. He has always been quiet when it comes to talking about the team and it has been obvious to me for why that is…. Kevin Garnett can’t stand Glen Taylor. For a player who is known for his deep loyalty, Garnett doesn’t show it when it comes to the Wolves.

Here are the main reasons Kevin Garnett wants nothing to do with the Timberwolves, at least as long as Taylor owns the team.

4.       Glen Taylor has not shown KG any respect for the public to see. I will explain more in a minute.

3.       Glen Taylor screwed up when he waited to have a memorial presentation for Flip Saunders. Garnett was noticeably absent when it finally was held.

2.       Garnett was not happy with the way Taylor fired Sam Mitchell immediately after the 2015-16 season ended. Taylor acted quickly with booting Mitchell so, he could hire Tom Thibodeau as the Coach and President of Basketball Operations. The overall feeling is Garnett felt slighted when Taylor made the move without ever getting Garnett’s input. KG is the one player almost every NBA fan associates with the team so, I agree that Taylor owed it to KG to at least get his opinion before making the move.

That brings me to my last point and it is a BIG one…

The number one reason Kevin Garnett wants nothing to do with the Timberwolves is because, Glen Taylor has not done what should have been done immediately after Garnett retired…. Retire KG’s number, 21.

As a fan, I see it as a big slap to Garnett’s face. He played the majority of his career in Minnesota. He IS still the face of the franchise. He was the player that carried every one of the playoff teams (minus the Thibs team) and was responsible for putting the team on the map. He is the only Timberwolf to win the League MVP award. He was a 15-time All-Star. Let’s face it… Kevin Garnett is the best player to ever play for the Wolves and he is still loyal to the fans. The proof of that is when Garnett said just minutes after winning the 2008 NBA Championship, “This is for you, Sota!”

The fans still adore Kevin Garnett, AKA ‘The Big Ticket’. In my opinion, the team would improve a lot merely by having Garnett associated with the team again. He said he doesn’t want to coach but, he has turned up at practices for the LA Clippers, coached by Doc Rivers, his coach in Boston.

The players all respect him and the time he was on the team with Andrew Wiggins, young Andrew paid attention to KG because, KG lit a fire under him. It took Glen Taylor doing everything I mentioned already, to put out the fire under Wiggins. But…. It would be the best thing to do for the Wolves, on many levels, for the team to retire number 21.

A suggestion to Glen Taylor from a fan since day one…. Suck up your pride, put your differences with KG aside and do whatever you need to do in order to get past the bad blood that the two of you have. It is time you show the best player, the most beloved player who has ever graced the Target Center’s floor, some long over-due respect and appreciation. Do it for KG. Do it for the fans. Do it because, YOU NEED TO DO IT! You have made so many poor decisions that have kept the team at the bottom of the league but, by mending fences with Garnett, it will pull the team out of NBA Purgatory and good things will come.
-Jim Watkins, Wolves Fan In Dallas