It took a while to sort out, given that the NBA paused and restarted its season, but the Timberwolves now possess Brooklyn’s first-round pick in the upcoming draft.

With Brooklyn’s 119-106 victory over the Kings on Friday, the Nets clinched a playoff spot,  ensuring that Washington can not come within four games of them in the final standings to force a play-in tournament.

The Wolves acquired Brooklyn’s first-round pick from Atlanta in a four-team trade just before the deadline in February, but the pick was lottery protected. That meant Brooklyn would have kept it if the Nets missed the playoffs. The Wolves will also have their own first-round pick. The draft lottery to determine where that pick will land will be August 20. The Wolves have a 14% chance of landing the top pick, tied for the best odds with Golden State and Cleveland. 


 

For the last several years, Kevin Garnett has wanted little to do with Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor.

Garnett hasn’t minced words about his feelings toward Taylor, and the lingering resentment from Garnett over what he viewed as broken promises concerning his role in the franchise upon retirement has burned strong, even as recently as April. 

“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 April, adding he "doesn't do business with snakes."

Garnett even accepted the Celtics retiring his jersey before the Wolves. 

But now as Taylor is reportedly moving closer to selling the team, Garnett seems willing to bury the hatchet. 

In a series of posts to Instagram, Garnett specifically mentioned wanting to partner with Taylor for the good of the Wolves’ future. Garnett mentioned he is a part of a group interested in buying the team. In the past, Garnett has said he had no interest in partnering with Taylor. He even said he would like to be part of the ownership group that kicked him out.

Here’s what he said in 2017, according to the website Awful Announcing: "I don't want to be partners with Glen, and I wouldn't want to be partners with Glen in Minnesota. I would love to be part of a group that buys him out and kind of removes him and go forward."

Tuesday represented a significant development on Garnett’s part in attempting to repair his relationship with Taylor.

In one post, Garnett said: “Regardless of past feelings with Glen … I would love nothing better than to become partners going forward in this great but [massive] rebuilding of a city that I deeply love! Putting the past to the side/focus on the now.”

Garnett followed that up a little later by pledging his love for Minneapolis and wanting to show that through the team: “My passion for the Minnesota Timberwolves to be a championship team is well known but I have a deeper affection for the city of Minneapolis.

“I once again want to see Minneapolis as the diverse and loving community that I know it is. No two people love the city more than myself and Glen Taylor and I look forward to trying to work with him to achieve my dream.”

Taylor told the Athletic a potential buyer must commit to keeping the Wolves in Minneapolis, and Garnett said he would do that. Taylor has reportedly enlisted the help of merchant bank Raine Group in courting offers for the team, which was recently valued by Forbes for $1.375 billion, although that number came before the coronavirus pandemic. The website Sportico reported Taylor was looking for $1.2 billion.