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Giannis Downplays Trade Talk, Claims He’s ‘Locked In’ With Bucks

December 18th, 2025 at 10:44pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Giannis Antetokounmpo distanced himself on Thursday from a report earlier this month that he and his agent Alex Saratsis have held discussions with the Bucks regarding his future.

“If my agent is talking to the Bucks about it, he is his own person,” Antetokounmpo said, per Eric Nehm of The Athletic. “He can have any conversation he wants about it. At the end of the day, I don’t work for my agent; my agent works for me. And there’s going to be conversations that are going to be made between him and the Bucks, and him and his other players, and him and other teams and other GMs, executives around the league. It’s something that you can’t control. But at the end of the day, I personally have not had the conversation with the Bucks.”

Antetokounmpo held court with the media for the first time since he suffered a calf strain on December 3 that knocked him out of action. The superstar forward said he remains focused on maximizing the potential of his current team.

“I’m still locked in, locked in on my teammates. Most importantly, locked in on me getting back healthy,” Antetokounmpo said. “And then, locked in on my teammates and how can I help them from the sideline or encourage them to be able to play and play free? Because at the end of the day, it takes a toll on them, too, right? They’re playing game after game after game. Thank God we’ve had a very good schedule in the last couple of weeks, but it takes a toll on them, too — rumors, injuries, lose, win. It’s hard, right? As a leader, but most importantly as a winner, you just gotta be there for them first.”

Antetokounmpo recognizes that the trade rumors aren’t going to die down unless the Bucks go on a hot streak.

“Do I hope it ends? For sure. Do I think it’s going to end? No,” he said. “I think when people see cracks, they see opportunity to get in through those cracks. And I understand it. It’s part of the game. It’s part of winning. You’ve gotta make the right moves to create the best chance for your organization to compete and win a championship. So, I get it.

“If I was on the other side and I was an executive, I would probably do the same thing. Eventually, you’re going to break. We’re going to keep on calling you, and if the team is not doing well or is not performing in the standings the way you guys think it should, we’re going to keep on calling until you say, ‘OK, let’s get it done.’ That’s how it works in business.”

Milwaukee is currently floundering near the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings with an 11-17 record. While he waits to get healthy enough to play again, he has tried to encourage his teammates and make sure they’re playing with a sense of urgency.

“You just gotta give urgency to the team. Like, ‘Guys, this is serious,’” Antetokounmpo said. “Who are we trying to be? We gotta turn this around. We have time to turn this around. And you gotta have a little bit more urgency. I think I’ve had the conversation with the coach about it; I think I’ve had the conversation with individual players about it. I’ve been approached by teammates and asked about the rumors because it also may affect their own life and their own career. I’m straight with them, whatever that answer might be.”

As for his soleus (calf) strain, Antetokounmpo believes it was related to a previous injury — he had a left adductor strain earlier in the season. He doesn’t want to make the same mistake regarding his latest ailment. Reporting at the time of the calf injury suggested a recovery timeline of two-to-four weeks, though it doesn’t appear he’s close to returning.

“As a leader of this team, when we are competing and you feel like maybe you’re not out there to help your team and not giving your team the best chance, you kind of feel like sometimes it’s your fault,” Antetokounmpo said. “And instead of taking the time — the appropriate time — for you to get back, you kind of rush things, which that’s what I’ve done my whole career, just to be out there. So, maybe it was a mistake of me coming back a little bit earlier. … The only way you can pop your soleus is by overcompensating and then having an extreme amount of (work) load or play a lot of games in a short period of time.”

Community Shootaround: Knicks’ Title Drought

December 18th, 2025 at 9:14pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Knicks finally stood atop the NBA world this week, even if it was just the in-season tournament. Winning the NBA Cup was a nice way to head into the holidays but the franchise and its fans are looking for something much bigger – a trip to the Finals and the Larry O’Brien trophy.

They reached the Eastern Conference Finals last season for the first time in a quarter century, only to get knocked out by the underdog Pacers. They haven’t sniffed the Finals since the 1998/99 season, when the Spurs’ Twin Towers of David Robinson and Tim Duncan bounced them in a five-game series.

As their long-time fans know, the Knicks haven’t hoisted the trophy since 1973, when the iconic starting five of Willis Reed, Walt Frazier, Dave DeBusschere, Bill Bradley and Earl “The Pearl” Monroe carried them past the Lakers.

The Eastern Conference certainly seems ripe for the taking. The Pistons have been nothing short of marvelous during the first two months of the season but they haven’t won a playoff series since 2008.

The Cavaliers, who rolled to the top seed in the conference last season, are hovering around .500. Perhaps a young team like the Magic can get hot at the right time, but currently the Knicks are a solid favorite to come out of the East.

Via trades and free agency, the Knicks have assembled a formidable starting five (or six, if you count Mitchell Robinson) in Most Valuable Player candidate Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart.

Offensively, they rank in the top five in points and three-point shooting while keeping their turnovers down. Defensively, they rank in the top five in opponents’ field goal percentage.

Their bench may be somewhat underwhelming, though they have some veteran pieces. Their ability to make moves is severely hamstrung by the fact that they’re hard-capped and operating narrowly below the second tax apron.

That brings us to today’s topic: Is this the season the Knicks finally reach the Finals again and perhaps even win the championship for the first time in 53 years? If not, what do you think will hold them back?

Please take to the comments section to weigh in on this topic. We look forward to your input.

Northwest Notes: Joe, Wiggins, Blazers, Timberwolves

December 18th, 2025 at 7:47pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Isaiah Joe is back in action tonight for the Thunder after missing four games due to a bruised left knee. Alex Caruso said that Joe’s presence provides optimal spacing of the floor, Justin Martinez of The Oklahoman tweets.

Joe is averaging 12.9 points per game, with most of them coming from beyond the arc. He’s attempting 6.9 three-point shots per game and making 41.9% of them.

“He’s the anomaly for our team with spacing rules and cutting and moving stuff,” Caruso said. “He’s the one guy we tell to stand a couple feet behind the line and space the floor as far away from the basket as you can because he carries that threat.”

Here’s more from the Northwest Division:

Aaron Wiggins is also averaging better than 41% on his three-point tries for the Thunder this season. Wiggins has filled up the stat sheet, averaging a career-best 12.3 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 24.2 minutes per game. “He’s a guy who has mastered our system over time on both ends of the floor,” coach Mark Daigneault told Martinez. “He’s just a system monster. He’s finding different ways to impact the game. … He’s an impressive person from that standpoint. He can wear a lot of different masks.”
Interim Trail Blazers coach Tiago Splitter has come up with a novel way of motivating his players to excel on the defensive end, according to Joe Freeman of The Oregonian. They have started a new post-game ritual that recognizes defensive prowess. After each win, the Blazers’ coaching staff will select a player they deem to be the “best defender of the night,” and that player will write his name on a piece of paper and slide it into a small wooden box. At the end of the season, the players with the most entries will win a to-be-determined prize. “I wanted to do something for the group, (offer) a little reward for a good defensive day,” Splitter said.
The Timberwolves haven’t played like an elite Western Conference team this season, Chris Hine of the Star Tribune opines. A case in point was their home loss to Memphis on Wednesday. “Our offensive decision-making was awful,” head coach Chris Finch said. “From shot selection to turnovers to execution it was just not very good.” The Wolves will get a chance to show they can still compete at that previous level on Friday when they face the Thunder, who defeated them 113-105 in late November.

Heat Notes: Powell, Rozier, Smith, Offense

December 18th, 2025 at 6:40pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Heat forward Norman Powell was on the injury report due to calf discomfort but played against the Nets on Thursday. Powell said he won’t let nagging injuries stop him from suiting up, according to Ira Winderman of the Sun Sentinel.

“I think it’s not too much of a concern with me. I mean, every place that I’ve been, every organization knows what type of player I am, my mentality, playing through injuries, trying to be on the court as much as possible,” he said. “I always tell them, like, I’m a player that I broke my hand in a game back when I was in Toronto, and I went back in the game and played. I played through strains and things like that. I push my body to the limit.”

Powell is headed to unrestricted free agency in the summer if he doesn’t sign an extension. The 32-year-old, who is averaging 24.4 points per game, is still seeking his first All-Star nod.

“It’s always been a goal of mine since I was a kid,” he said. “But a lot of that stuff is out of my control. I know a lot of people have talked about it since last year. People have talked about it this year. My job is to go out there and play the best brand of basketball that I know I’m capable of playing and helping the team get wins and get back on track. Obviously, individual accolades are great, and you want that.”

Here’s more on the Heat:

The NBA and the Players Association held their grievance hearing Wednesday in New York regarding the league’s withholding of Terry Rozier’s salary in an escrow-type interest-bearing account, but a resolution was not reached. Rozier is on indefinite unpaid leave after being arrested on federal charges related to illegal gambling. A formal, written ruling on the grievance is not expected until next month, likely after the NBA’s Jan. 7 salary guarantee deadline, Winderman writes.
Dru Smith has endured two major injuries to his knee and Achilles during his career. He has pushed through adversity to earn a three-year contract and a spot in the rotation. “I’m just proud of myself for making it back to this point,” Smith said, per the Miami Herald’s Anthony Chiang. “Honestly, a year ago, I would have been like, ‘I have no idea what it’s going to look like.’ So just to be back, be playing, I think I’ve been available every night. That was a huge thing going into the year. Obviously, that’s been one of my biggest issues is just being able to be available for the team. So just trying to make sure that I’m continuing to keep up with everything, continue to take care of my body because we’re still not through December and I haven’t seen it through December in a couple of years.”
Miami’s offensive numbers have cratered during their current five-game losing streak but Powell told Chiang that’s a secondary issue. “We’ve got to be a defensive-first team,” Powell said. “I think we shifted a little bit because our offense was so great. We thought, well, we can just come in and score and everybody’s going to get their shots, and it’s going to be great. But teams are adjusting, so now we have to really adjust. It’s still early. We’ve still got time, but the identity of who we have to be is going to be a defensive Miami Heat team.”

Nets Notes: Wolf, Porter Jr., Hauser, Highsmith

December 18th, 2025 at 5:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Nets big man Danny Wolf lasted until the No. 27 pick in the June draft and he’ll use that as motivation the rest of his career, he told Brian Lewis of the New York Post (subscription required).

“Obviously, I’d be faulted to say I don’t have a chip on my shoulder to not only prove others wrong and prove teams or guys picked ahead of me wrong and just prove myself right, that I know what I can become,” Wolf said. “I’m going to have that chip on my shoulder as long as I’m in this league. … So I use it [for] motivation, but all I’m going to do is work, as I have done.”

The biggest concern regarding Wolf coming out of Michigan was his ability to defend at the NBA level. He has shown thus far that he can more than hold his own at that end, according to Lewis, who notes that Wolf’s defensive field goal percentage (40%) ranks first among rookies who have defended at least 30 shots.

“There were a lot of questions from teams and front offices as to who I could guard. I took that as a chip on my shoulder to prove that I can more than guard in this league,” Wolf said. “But it’s a work in progress, and I need to continue to get quicker and stronger.”

Here’s more on the Nets:

Michael Porter Jr. is posting career-high numbers and the New York Daily News’ C.J. Holmes uses more advanced statistic measures to lay out Porter’s All-Star case. However, the fact that Porter is playing for a rebuilding club certainly hinders his chances. Holmes notes the Nets are 6-3 when Porter scores 30 points or more. “I mean, just look at what we look like when he’s on the court versus when he’s not on the court,” center Nic Claxton said. “He does so much. He creates so many opportunities for himself, for other teammates. His averages are off the charts, so he definitely should be an All-Star.” Porter is averaging 25.6 points, 7.3 rebounds and 3.2 assists per game.
Former Michigan State forward Joey Hauser, brother of the Celtics’ Sam Hauser, is working as a video assistant with the Nets this season, according to NetsDaily (Twitter link). Joey played for the College Park Skyhawks, Atlanta’s G League affiliate, last season. He also briefly had a two-way contract with Utah.
Haywood Highsmith, who has yet to make his Nets debut due to a knee injury, was on the court during pregame warmups on Thursday working out with the coaching staff, but he has yet to be cleared for contact, Lewis tweets. Highsmith was acquired from the Heat in mid-August.

Celtics Notes: Chisholm, Brown, White, Christian

December 18th, 2025 at 4:00pm CST by Luke Adams

Bill Chisholm was something of an underdog when the Celtics unexpectedly put the franchise up for sale in the weeks following their 2024 NBA championship, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe writes in an in-depth profile of the team’s new owner (subscription required).

As Himmelsbach outlines, there was initially hope within the organization that Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca, who already owned about 20% of the franchise, would take over majority control of the team, and there were doubts about Chisholm’s ability to raise the necessary capital. But when it became clear that the group of potential buyers didn’t include anyone who could easily outbid Chisholm, he became more confident about his odds.

“It felt like if there’s a unicorn out there, if a Jeff Bezos is in the mix, forget it,” Chisholm said. “But I just didn’t hear that. It was like, ‘I like my chances here.’ The (Pagliuca) thing was a wild card, obviously.”

Chisholm grew up as a Celtics fan and impressed governor Wyc Grousbeck and other team executives with his genuine passion for the team. More importantly, Chisholm’s bid for the franchise came in about $100MM higher than the next-closest offer. It was also $500MM above Pagliuca’s bid, though that offer was fully funded.

The Celtics ultimately decided to go with Chisholm and reached a deal in March of 2025, which included an agreement that he would have until December 31 to fully fund the transaction. Chisholm spent the next few months working the phones to bring in minority investors and raise the capital necessary to finalize the deal, which was officially approved by the NBA’s Board of Governors in August.

The new Celtics owner told Himmelsbach that he would have had to pay a break-up free worth “several hundred million dollars” if he hadn’t fully funded his bid — he’s relieved that it ultimately wasn’t an issue.

“That was my biggest calculated risk of the whole deal,” Chisholm said. “I wouldn’t say it was irresponsible, but it was a risk.”

We have more on the Celtics:

Celtics wing Jaylen Brown racked up 34 points on Monday vs. Detroit but also missed seven free throws in a game the team lost by seven points. He shouldered the blame for the defeat, as Jay King of The Athletic writes. “I’ve got to do better to get my team over the hump,” Brown said. “In my mind, I didn’t have my best game tonight, so that’s on me. Especially in the fourth quarter, just some mindset plays. Foul. Staying down on the shot fake. Had a turnover in the fourth and then just too many missed free throws. Just mentality-wise, mindset-wise, I needed to be more for my team. I wasn’t tonight.”
Informed of Brown’s post-game comments, guard Derrick White said his teammate was being too hard on himself, according to King. “I think that’s kind of what makes him special,” White said on Monday. “He had 30-something (points) and still wants to do better for us, and so that’s what makes him special. He’s probably his toughest critic, and we know that he’s going to bounce back and continue to do special things for us. And so, obviously, this loss isn’t on him. It’s on all of us, and we got his back, but that’s just kind of the guy he is in this and why we love playing with him.”
Jarell Christian, the general manager of the Celtics’ G League affiliate in Maine, is leaving the team to become an assistant coach for the WNBA’s Seattle Storm, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Christian has past coaching experience, having held assistant positions at multiples colleges, in the G League, and with the Wizards. He also spent one year as the head coach of the Capital City Go-Go (2018/19) and another coaching the Maine Celtics (2021/22).
As the Celtics prepare for trade season, Brian Robb of MassLive.com takes a look at the assets available to the team, where Boston stands in relation to the tax and apron lines, and what the club’s goals should be. Finding another true center figures to be a top priority for the Celtics, who will also likely assess whether it makes sense to try to duck out of the tax, Robb writes.

Trae Young To Return On Thursday

December 18th, 2025 at 2:58pm CST by Luke Adams

December 18: Young will make his return on Thursday vs. the Hornets, reports Shams Charania of ESPN (Twitter link).

December 17: Hawks guard Trae Young has been listed as questionable for Thursday’s game in Charlotte, according to the team (Twitter link), and has a chance to play for the first time since October 29.

Young went down with a right knee injury in Atlanta’s fifth game of the regular season and was later diagnosed with a sprained MCL. He has been sidelined for 22 contests since then and will no longer be eligible for end-of-season awards, including All-NBA, since he won’t be able to meet the 65-game threshold.

In his four full games prior to the injury, Young averaged 20.8 points and 9.5 assists per contest, but was struggling with his shot, knocking down just 36.4% of his field goal attempts, including 5-of-26 three-pointers (19.2%).

The Hawks have been playing pretty well despite missing their top offensive play-maker. Following a 1-3 start, Atlanta has won 14 of 23 games and now holds a 15-12 record. Jalen Johnson, Nickeil Alexander-Walker, and Vit Krejci are among the players who have taken on additional ball-handling responsibilities with Young unavailable.

Young practiced with the College Park Skyhawks (Atlanta’s G League affiliate) on Tuesday and with the Hawks on Wednesday, an indication that his return was close. If he’s not cleared to play on Thursday vs. the Hornets, his next opportunity will be on Friday when the Hawks return home to host San Antonio.

There has been some recent trade speculation about Young, who could become a free agent next summer if he declines his 2026/27 option worth nearly $49MM, but ESPN’s Shams Charania recently reported that the Hawks are hopeful the guard’s return will “elevate” a team that has held its own without him.

Stein’s Latest: Kings, Harden, Kessler, Rozier, Jones, Payton

December 18th, 2025 at 2:51pm CST by Luke Adams

If executives around the NBA were asked which team is viewed as the most likely seller ahead of this season’s trade deadline, many would name the Kings first, according to Marc Stein of The Stein Line (Substack link).

“Active is the word I would use to describe them,” one exec said of Sacramento.

Few players on the Kings’ roster are off limits, with the team seemingly open to inquiries on anyone outside of fourth-year forward Keegan Murray and rookie Nique Clifford, Stein writes.

Sacramento has “certainly” made veterans Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan available, Stein continues, though the club is reportedly telling teams that it has no intention of attaching draft assets – or highly regarded guard Keon Ellis – to any of its higher-paid vets in order to accommodate a deal.

Stein has more to share from around the NBA:

A number of teams are keeping a close eye on Clippers guard James Harden, a source tells Stein. Given L.A.’s disappointing record, Harden’s age (36), and his contract situation (he holds a partially guaranteed player option for 2026/27), the former MVP would make an intriguing trade candidate if the Clippers are open to moving him. Stein points out that the Timberwolves are among the teams seeking a play-maker on the trade market.
Echoing recent reporting from Grant Afseth, Stein says the Pacers have registered interest in Walker Kessler, though he adds that the Jazz have shown no signs that they want to trade the big man ahead of his restricted free agency.
Commissioner Adam Silver and the NBA haven’t confirmed one way or another whether the Heat would be permitted to trade Terry Rozier while he remains on leave following his arrest in connection to a federal gambling investigation. However, Stein hears that the Heat are “quietly confident” that the league wouldn’t block them from making a deal that includes Rozier’s $26MM+ expiring contract for salary-matching purposes.
Nuggets two-way forward Spencer Jones is being viewed as a near lock to have his contract converted into a standard deal later in the season, Stein reports. Denver has an open spot on its 15-man roster but is navigating the luxury tax line. Still, the club seems likely to promote Jones, who has been active for all 25 Nuggets games so far and has averaged 8.2 points and 3.9 rebounds per game on .564/.448/.682 shooting in 10 games since entering the starting lineup.
Like big man Christian Koloko, veteran guard Elfrid Payton has also recently joined the Spurs‘ G League affiliate in the hopes of making an impression on NBA evaluators at this weekend’s NBAGL Showcase, Stein notes.

Warriors Notes: Thompson, Curry, Horford, Rotation, Richard, More

December 18th, 2025 at 1:54pm CST by Luke Adams

Several weeks after Klay Thompson tore his ACL in the 2019 NBA Finals, the Warriors re-signed him to a five-year, maximum-salary contract in a show of loyalty to a player who had helped them win three championships up to that point. However, that deal became a source of contention between Thompson and management, according to Anthony Slater and Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

Thompson, who tore his Achilles a year later in a pickup game away from the team’s facility and ended up missing a second consecutive full season, later admitted he should have been more careful about his ACL rehab process. However, given what he believes he’d contributed to the team Thompson was upset to overhear team owner Joe Lacob griping about his drop-off in production and telling people that the veteran sharpshooter should be grateful Golden State gave him that contract, sources tell Slater and MacMahon.

“This was a guy who felt he left it all out there for Joe and the organization, and was then viewed as damaged goods,” one league source said to ESPN.

That was one major factor that contributed to the growing tension between Thompson and the Warriors later on in that five-year deal. While the team insists it offered Thompson a two-year, $48MM contract extension during the summer of 2023, he and his camp didn’t believe that proposal was as concrete as it was portrayed, and he eventually felt as if the team “pushed (him) out in a strategic manner” during his 2024 free agency, per ESPN’s report.

Citing league sources, Slater and MacMahon report that Thompson would like to be playing for a contender, though he says he remains hopeful that can happen with the Mavericks. Asked about the possibility of eventually reuniting with the Warriors before he retires, Thompson was noncommittal, but one league source who spoke to ESPN believes Thompson would consider it if Stephen Curry pushed for it. “There’s no one that carries more weight with Klay than Steph,” that source said.

“It would be unbelievable,” Curry said when asked about the idea. “If that time comes and that conversation is had, of course I’m calling him and saying, ‘We want you back.’ And hopefully that would be a welcome message to him. But as we stand right now, that does seem like a far distant reality. But so did him leaving.”

Here’s more on the Warriors:

Head coach Steve Kerr said earlier this week that the health issue affecting Al Horford (right sciatic nerve irritation) has healed. However, Horford told reporters today that he believes he’s still about a week away from returning to action as he progressing through his rehab process, per Nick Friedell of The Athletic (Twitter link).
The Warriors’ up and down play this season has resembled the pre-Jimmy Butler version of last year’s team. Unlike in 2024/25 though, Kerr doesn’t believe the front office needs to make a roster move to jump-start the team. “It feels similar in that we’re inconsistent,” Kerr said on Wednesday, according to Friedell. “We’re around .500, but I know that we have the answer here. Last year I felt like we had to make a move. This year I don’t think that’s the case. I think we have what we need here, but we need to develop more consistency in our play and that starts with me, giving these guys more consistent roles.”
Kerr added that there are “tricky” rotation decisions to make because he trusts so many of the players on the 18-man roster to play regular minutes. “I think we have 14, 15 guys who I feel very comfortable putting on the floor, but I also only feel comfortable playing 11 at the most each night, really 10,” Kerr said, per Friedell. “And so no matter how we slice it, I’m gonna come up here and you’re gonna ask me about three different guys and it’s fair because they can all play.”
One player who has fallen out of the rotation as of late is rookie Will Richard, who has been a DNP-CD in the Warriors’ past two games despite making 12 starts earlier this fall. “It’s been tough not playing him because I’m a huge fan and a believer,” Kerr said during a radio appearance on 95.7 The Game (hat tip to NBC Sports Bay Area). “He offers us stability and decision-making, good shooting, so he’s just got to stay with it. Right now, frankly, he’s sitting because he’s a rookie and I’m honoring what the older guys have done over the years. I think that’s good for chemistry, I think this is kind of how it goes.”
Asked whether the Warriors would consider the idea of trading Butler or Draymond Green, Monte Poole of NBC Sports Bay Area (Twitter audio link) didn’t rule out the possibility, but noted that Curry would have to be convinced it was the right move. “I would not say it’s impossible,” Poole said. “Right now it still seems improbable.” To this point, Butler or Green have only really come up in trade speculation involving Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Kevin Garnett Rejoins Wolves As Team Ambassador, Will Have Jersey Retired

December 18th, 2025 at 1:20pm CST by Luke Adams

1:20 pm: The Timberwolves have officially announced that Garnett has been hired as a team ambassador and will have his No. 21 jersey retired at a later date. Garnett said in a statement that he’s “thrilled to be back home.”

“The Big Ticket is back! Kevin Garnett is synonymous with the Minnesota Timberwolves,” Lore and Rodriguez said in a statement of their own. “Bringing Kevin home has been a priority since we acquired the teams. He is the greatest player in Timberwolves history, and his impact on our franchise and community is immeasurable. This is more than a reunion—it’s a statement about honoring our past while pursuing excellence and building one of the most admired sports organizations in the world. We couldn’t be prouder to welcome him home.”

8:48 am: Kevin Garnett is returning to the Timberwolves in an “all-encompassing” role, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania, who reports that the former star forward will be involved with the team’s business, community, and fan engagement efforts, as well as content development.

The Timberwolves also intend to retire Garnett’s No. 21 jersey at some point within the next year or two, Charania adds.

A Hall of Famer who began his playing career in Minnesota, Garnett made 10 All-Star teams and won a Most Valuable Player award during his 12-year stint with the Timberwolves from 1995-2007. He later returned to the team for a season-and-a-half in 2015-16 before calling it a career.

However, Garnett had a bitter feud with former team owner Glen Taylor, so while he repeatedly professed a love for Minnesota and Timberwolves fans, he had a frosty relationship with the franchise after his retirement.

Garnett’s long-running beef with Taylor reportedly began when a plan to rejoin the organization once his playing days were over fell apart following the death of former Wolves president and head coach Flip Saunders. Garnett, who believes Taylor reneged on an agreement between them, said in 2020 that he would never forgive Taylor for it, adding, “I don’t do business with snakes.”

During the protracted process that eventually saw majority control of the Timberwolves change hands, multiple reports indicated that incoming owners Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez were eager to reconcile with Garnett and wanted to retire his jersey.

After a legal battle that saw Taylor try to retain control of the franchise, an arbitrator ruled in favor of Lore and Rodriguez, who were permitted to move forward with their purchase of Taylor’s remaining stake — the NBA’s Board of Governors officially approved that deal in June, clearing a path for Lore and Rodriguez to repair the team’s relationship with Garnett and bring him aboard in a formal capacity.

We don’t yet know what Garnett’s official title will be, and it remains possible that his role will evolve after he formally rejoins the team. However, Charania’s report doesn’t suggest that the longtime NBA star will be involved in the Wolves’ basketball operations department, which remains the domain of Tim Connelly.

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