Kevin Garnett might not be up to returning for his 22nd season
When the Minnesota Timberwolves dealt for Kevin Garnett back in 2015, it was initially assumed by most that the future Basketball Hall of Famer was taking one last farewell lap around the Target Center. That he would bow out as an active NBA player once his contract ran out following the 2014-15 season. That his time on the court was just about up.
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Instead, KG surprised by signing a two-year (!) deal with Minnesota during the offseason, happily taking to a leadership role that would still demand the 2004 NBA MVP would suit up for most contests, even though he could barely get on the court for what turned out to be a cellar-dwelling Timberwolves team down the stretch of 2014-15.
Now, entering the second year of that contract, the Minnesota legend seems a little unsure as to whether or not he’ll be able to fulfill the duties of that second season, as he stares down what would be his 22nd season in the NBA. From a talk between Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, and Steve Aschburner at NBA.com:
“I just asked him, ‘Kevin, what are you going to do?’ His answer was, ‘I’d really like to play next year ‘cuz I’d like to go out knowing we got into the playoffs,’ ” Taylor said.
“Then he said, ‘I don’t know if I can.’
“I asked him, ‘What does that mean?’ And he said, ‘I don’t know.’
“So I asked the question but I didn’t get an answer that helped me. Yes, theoretically, he’d like to play. But he has some doubts of his knees holding up. I believe he told me exactly the truth.”
[…]
“I think he’s worried if he can play,” Taylor said. “I worry about that too. When I talked to him last year, I said, ‘Is it your knees or what?’ He said, ‘It’s my whole leg.’ “
This somewhat flies in the face of what Taylor told the press last spring, but it is understandable. Garnett played in just 38 games for the 29-win Timberwolves last season, working just 14.6 minutes per contest. He’s played just 85 combined games over the last two NBA campaigns, turning in just over 1400 total minutes along that stretch – KG routinely played over 3200 minutes a season during his prime.
None of this should act as a surprise. Garnett was an All-Star in his second season, all the way back in 1996-97, playing just under 39 minutes a game at age 20. On top of the two decades’ worth of performance, he’s also logged 143 career playoff games, nearly two full seasons’ worth. Taking plays off is an anathema to Garnett, who will become a first ballot Hall of Fame based mostly on his indefatigable work on the defensive end.
Tom Thibodeau can relate.
The new Minnesota coach not only worked as a lead defensive assistant in Boston when Garnett helped lead the Celtics to the 2008 title, but he’s known as a rather exacting sort on that end of the floor as well – working players extra minutes, shouting out order and contesting calls even deep into blowout wins or losses, leaving it all on the sideline. Thibodeau was never going to ask Garnett to work major minutes in 2016-17 – KG’s minutes per game decline actually started during his tenure with the Celtics while working alongside Thibs – but the two would have created a combustible yet appropriate pairing.
That pairing could still take shape. Glen Taylor obviously has no qualms handing Garnett (who turned 40 in May) $8 million to act as a bit player and team leader this season, and as Steve Aschburner points out that salary is hardly getting in the way of Minnesota adding free agent help. This is still a rebuilding process, with rookie Kris Dunn being added to an ultra-young core already featuring Andrew Wiggins and Karl-Anthony Towns, and any bit of playoff contention would act as gravy. Even after an 11-year (and counting) postseason drought.
Garnett, whose last game was in the final week of January, has never been one for the mawkish or sentimental, but dragging a leg that once guarded Danny Schayes and James Edwards (top overall draft pick Ben Simmons was born two months after KG banged around with Loy Vaught) around airports and locker rooms from October until (hopefully) April might not feel like something worth looking forward to at age 40. Even with Thibodeau (who replaced longtime Garnett ally Sam Mitchell as coach) around. Even with the dangling carrot of one final trip back to the playoffs.
(A retirement, technically, wouldn’t leave the Wolves on the hook for that $8 million; though one would presume the team and Garnett would suss out some sort of buyout agreement and/or payment plan.)
For now, this is summer speculation. Glen Taylor passing along insight into Garnett’s mindset and pain threshold (presuming KG even has one), relaying the understandable idea that the Timberwolves legend might not be as enthused about suiting up for yet another 82 (or even 38) game turn in 2016-17.
This is July, though. Attitudes have a way of changing once the weather becomes cooler, and any gym’s expected warmth feels all the more appealing come autumn.
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Kelly Dwyer is an editor for Ball Don’t Lie on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at KDonhoops@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!