Kevin Garnett to Reunite with Timberwolves in New Business Role

Big news for the Wolves fans in your life.

Garnett is a legend in Minnesota. / Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett is joining forces with both the Timberwolves and the Lynx in a "new, all-encompassing role involving business, community efforts and content development," ESPN insider Shams Charania reported Thursday morning, adding that Garnett's long-awaited Wolves jersey retirement will also happen in Minnesota.

Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett is reuniting with the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Lynx in a new, all-encompassing role involving business, community efforts and content development, sources told ESPN. His long-awaited No. 21 Wolves jersey retirement will also happen in Minnesota. pic.twitter.com/DedJhDezd3

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 18, 2025

Though Garnett was drafted to the Wolves in 1995 and spent 12 subsequent seasons with the team, plus one and a half more from 2014-16, he had been on distant terms with the organization since that final season due to a fallout with then-owner Glen Taylor. But, per Charania, the forward has since built a rapport with new owners Marc Lore and baseball icon Alex Rodriguez, and both parties were able to move forward with a reunion.

Garnett is the Wolves' all-time leader in points, rebounds, assists steals and blocks. He is also the only player in franchise history to win an MVP (2003-04), and led the team to eight straight playoff appearances.

Garnett's history with the Wolves

Garnett played for the Wolves from 1995 through the 2006 season, after which he was traded to the Celtics. He stayed in Boston from 2007 through the 2012 season, before a brief stint in Brooklyn. He then returned to Minnesota for 1.5 seasons at the end of his career before announcing his retirement in 2016.

Prior to Thursday, Garnett had refused to have his number retired by the Minnesota front office so long as Glen Taylor, with whom he has a longstanding feud, was still in charge of the franchise.

When KG returned to the Wolves at the 2014-15 trade deadline, it was coach Flip Saunders who convinced the legend to come back. That agreement also came with the alleged promise (or at least understanding) that Garnett would eventually receive a large role and influence within the organization. But after Saunders died from Hodgkin's lymphoma shortly before the 2015-16 season began, Taylor eventually hired Tom Thibodeau on a five-year deal, later rendering Garnett's short-term chances of taking charge null and void.

“Glen and I had an understanding before Flip died, and when Flip died, that understanding went with Flip,” Garnett said in 2020. “For that, I won’t forgive Glen. I won’t forgive him for that. I thought he was a straight-up person, straight-up businessman, and when Flip died, everything went with him.”

Since taking over, new owners Lore and Rodriguez have "prioritized" strengthening the franchise's relationship with alumni players and staff, including Garnett, as Charania reported Thursday. And considering the forward has acquiesced to the jersey retirement and agreed to come aboard in an organizational capacity, clearly those efforts have worked.

---

More NBA on Sports Illustrated

FREE NEWSLETTER. SI BTN Newsletter. Start off your day with SI:CYMI. dark

feed