The Minnesota Timberwolves are a team that a lot of people are high on for the future. The Timberwolves have two young stars in Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, and some have said they can be the next Oklahoma City Thunder.
New head coach Tom Thibodeau likely agrees considering he was holding out for a job that would give him a chance to win immediately. The Timberwolves may not be great next season, but their future is certainly about as bright as anyone's in the NBA. While Thibodeau should be able to bring Minnesota to more victories, he might also help convince Kevin Garnett to come back for one more season.
Thibodeau was an assistant coach with the Boston Celtics while Garnett was there and they won a championship together. Garnett and Thibodeau have a good relationship, which could sway Garnett to play one more season, but there are other factors at hand. Garnett is under contract for next season for $8 million, but he will turn 40 in May and only played in 38 games for the Timberwolves this past season. Garnett is open to returning, but needs a few things to play out before he decides.
"I pride myself on being loyal," Garnett said. "I think I've proven that by coming back home to finish my career. I need to see how the next few weeks turn out to truly understand if everyone has that same loyalty. Then I will know what my future holds."
Garnett's loyalty is unquestionable at this point as he waived his no-trade clause with the Brooklyn Nets to head back to Minnesota, where he started his career. Garnett knew the team wouldn't be very good, but he wanted to help the franchise as much as he could by being a veteran leader for the young players.
While Garnett is still unsure of what he will do next season, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor is confident he will play. Garnett hasn't told Taylor definitively what he will do, but the owner said that every indication he has received from Garnett is that he will play out the final year of his deal.
Thibodeau's hiring would seem to be a plus in getting Garnett to return, but he was the most vocal supporter of Minnesota keeping interim coach Sam Mitchell as the full-time head coach. Whatever decision Garnett decides to make, it is likely he will be around the team in some capacity next year. It is expected that if Garnett doesn't play, he will try to become a minority owner of the team.
