The Brooklyn Nets and the Timberwolves agreed to a deal before Thursday's deadline, with Garnett moving in exchange for Thaddeus Young, as Minnesota announced via the team's website.
Head coach Flip Saunders and owner Glen Taylor both offered their take on acquiring Garnett in the team release:
"We are excited to have Kevin Garnett back in Minnesota and playing for the Timberwolves," said Timberwolves head coach Flip Saunders. "When people think of the Timberwolves they think of KG. He had some great years for us and our organization and fans really respect what he's done here in Minnesota and throughout his NBA career. KG will bring his usual strong work ethic and leadership and be a positive influence for our young team."
"It means a lot to me to have Kevin Garnett back on our team," said Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor. "I have great respect for Kevin as a person and a player. He was the first player we drafted after I bought the team and we got to see him develop into one of the best players in the world. Like our fans, I'm excited to be able to watch Kevin in a Timberwolves uniform once again."
Twenty years after they gambled on him as a gangly teenager and nearly eight years after they traded him away as a superstar, the Timberwolves are bringing future Basketball Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett back home. A franchise that has never seen the playoffs without him struck a deal with Brooklyn just before Thursday afternoon’s NBA trade deadline. In doing so, the Wolves sent away 26-year-old forward Thad Young to secure the return of a 38-year-old champion who played his first 12 pro seasons at Target Center and was the face of the franchise until he left in 2007.
Garnett waited until the final hour before Thursday’s 2 p.m. trade deadline to waive a no-trade clause in his contract so that he could return to the place where it all started for him professionally. That contract with a $12 million salary expires this summer, but Garnett isn’t coming back merely to play out the season’s remaining 29 games. He is expected to sign an extension this summer to play probably for another two seasons, according to a person with knowledge of the team’s negotiations with him. And he could be looking for the chance to make good on a hope he expressed last fall of one day owning the Wolves. Fans eager to see Garnett’s return will have to wait a few days. He’s not expected to return to Minnesota where he still has a home until Saturday and won’t play his first game with his old team until Wednesday against Washington at Target Center.
Thursday’s trade reunites Garnett with Flip Saunders, Wolves coach and president of basketball operations, who coached him his first decade in Minnesota. It also brings him back home to team owner Glen Taylor, who traded Garnett to Boston in July 2007 after refusing to offer Garnett another maximum contract extension. Garnett sounded embittered toward Taylor and the organization for years over that split, but Taylor said that hasn’t kept them from exchanging friendly hellos. Taylor said he’s never had a heartfelt discussion with his once and future star over the 2007 split.
“I am really excited that he’s coming back,” Taylor said. “Not only as one of the best basketball players ever finishing out his career here, but as a friend. We had a great relationship when he was here and I have no question we’ll be able to carry on with that friendship. I really do see that Kevin can help this team not only this year, but in the future. The ultimate goal is to be better sooner. With our young guys, he can be the voice that will help us get there.”
Head coach Flip Saunders and owner Glen Taylor both offered their take on acquiring Garnett in the team release:
"We are excited to have Kevin Garnett back in Minnesota and playing for the Timberwolves," said Timberwolves head coach Flip Saunders. "When people think of the Timberwolves they think of KG. He had some great years for us and our organization and fans really respect what he's done here in Minnesota and throughout his NBA career. KG will bring his usual strong work ethic and leadership and be a positive influence for our young team."
Twenty years after they gambled on him as a gangly teenager and nearly eight years after they traded him away as a superstar, the Timberwolves are bringing future Basketball Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett back home. A franchise that has never seen the playoffs without him struck a deal with Brooklyn just before Thursday afternoon’s NBA trade deadline. In doing so, the Wolves sent away 26-year-old forward Thad Young to secure the return of a 38-year-old champion who played his first 12 pro seasons at Target Center and was the face of the franchise until he left in 2007.
Garnett waited until the final hour before Thursday’s 2 p.m. trade deadline to waive a no-trade clause in his contract so that he could return to the place where it all started for him professionally. That contract with a $12 million salary expires this summer, but Garnett isn’t coming back merely to play out the season’s remaining 29 games. He is expected to sign an extension this summer to play probably for another two seasons, according to a person with knowledge of the team’s negotiations with him. And he could be looking for the chance to make good on a hope he expressed last fall of one day owning the Wolves. Fans eager to see Garnett’s return will have to wait a few days. He’s not expected to return to Minnesota where he still has a home until Saturday and won’t play his first game with his old team until Wednesday against Washington at Target Center.
Thursday’s trade reunites Garnett with Flip Saunders, Wolves coach and president of basketball operations, who coached him his first decade in Minnesota. It also brings him back home to team owner Glen Taylor, who traded Garnett to Boston in July 2007 after refusing to offer Garnett another maximum contract extension. Garnett sounded embittered toward Taylor and the organization for years over that split, but Taylor said that hasn’t kept them from exchanging friendly hellos. Taylor said he’s never had a heartfelt discussion with his once and future star over the 2007 split.
“I am really excited that he’s coming back,” Taylor said. “Not only as one of the best basketball players ever finishing out his career here, but as a friend. We had a great relationship when he was here and I have no question we’ll be able to carry on with that friendship. I really do see that Kevin can help this team not only this year, but in the future. The ultimate goal is to be better sooner. With our young guys, he can be the voice that will help us get there.”
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