Timberwolves great thinks Alex Rodriguez could still move team to Seattle

No matter what he says in public, many still think that Alex Rodriguez wants to move the Minnesota Timberwolves to Seattle. That appears to include one notable legend of the team as well.

Retired Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett spoke this week with Sopan Deb of the New York Times and addressed the new ownership group in Minnesota.

“I actually think I’ve been hearing whispers that A-Rod is actually going to take the Timberwolves to Seattle,” said Garnett. “So we’ll see. I don’t know … No one wants to see the Wolves leave Minneapolis, but you know, it’s business. I would never want the Timberwolves to leave Minneapolis and Minnesota. I think that team means a lot to that state.

Garnett, who spent 14 career seasons with the Wolves, added that he has not personally spoken with Rodriguez or co-owner Marc Lore. The former NBA MVP was originally in the bidding to buy the team with his own ownership group but said in the interview that “that opportunity has passed.”

Rodriguez and Lore are now limited partners with the Timberwolves after agreeing to a $1.5 billion purchase price from current owner Glen Taylor. They will take full ownership of the team in 2023.

Of course, the whispers that Rodriguez wants to move the team to Seattle, where he played for many years as a Mariner, are nothing new. But Garnett is a bit more well-connected than the average person, especially regarding the Timberwolves. Rodriguez has said publicly that they are not moving the team, and the NBA is said to have no interest in a relocation either. But business interests can change very quickly, so the situation is still worth monitoring, especially once Rodriguez and Lore assume full control.

Photo: Feb 2, 2020; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; Alex Rodriguez on the sidelines before Super Bowl LIV between the Kansas City Chiefs and San Francisco 49ers at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports