Report: T-Wolves bring Garnett back in business role, will retire his jersey

The Minnesota Timberwolves and Lynx are hiring Kevin Garnett in a new role involving the organization's business, community efforts, and content development, sources told Shams Charania of ESPN.

The Timberwolves also reportedly intend to retire the Hall of Famer's No. 21 jersey sometime over the next two seasons, repairing a schism with the retired forward that began during former owner Glen Taylor's reign.

Minnesota confirmed on social media it had reunited with the nine-time All-NBAer.

Garnett, 49, spent the first 12 seasons of his NBA career in Minnesota after the franchise drafted him fifth overall in 1995. He led the Timberwolves to the 2004 Western Conference finals against the Los Angeles Lakers, where they fell in six games.

Minnesota traded the 2004 MVP to the Boston Celtics ahead of the 2007-08 season. He formed a Big Three with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen that won a title in their first season together and made another Finals appearance in 2010. The Timberwolves, meanwhile, did not return to the West finals until 2024.

Garnett returned for a second on-court stint in Minnesota in 2014 where he played his last 43 games as a pro. However, he fell out with Taylor following the death of Timberwolves head coach Flip Saunders on Oct. 25, 2015 - days before the start of Garnett's final NBA season.

Garnett took issue with how the team paid tribute to the late coach. He also suggested Taylor broke promises to Garnett about an off-court role with the organization following his playing career. In response, he refused to have his number retired in Minnesota while Taylor was still owner.

"At this point, I don't want any dealings with Glen Taylor or Taylor Corp. or anything that has to do with him," Garnett told The Athletic in 2021. "I love my Timberwolves, I'll always love my guys, I'll always love the people who f--- with me there.

"I'll always have a special place for the city of Minneapolis and the state of Minnesota in my heart. But I don't do business with snakes. I don't do business with snake motherf-----s. I try not to do business with openly snakes or people who are snake-like."

Taylor officially ceded control of the Timberwolves and Lynx following an arbitration hearing in February, ending a four-year ownership dispute with Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez. Lore and Rodriguez first entered into a $1.5-billion agreement to purchase the franchises from Taylor in 2021; however, the latter attempted to call off the sale in March 2024, claiming a payment by the two partners was made after a scheduled deadline.

Garnett remains the Timberwolves' all-time leader in nearly all counting stats. He played 970 games for the franchise, during which he accrued 19,201 points, 10,718 rebounds, 4,216 assists, 1,590 blocks, and 1,315 steals.