Minnesota Timberwolves: Kevin Garnett Will Start, Is It A Smart Move?

By Mark Vandeusen | Jul 30, 2015

Mar 4, 2015; Minneapolis, MN, USA; Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Flip Saunders and Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett (21) talk during a timeout in the second half against the Denver Nuggets at Target Center. The Nuggets won 100-85. Mandatory Credit: Jesse Johnson-USA TODAY Sports /

In a recent interview with Grantland’s Zach Lowe, Minnesota Timberwolves head coach Flip Saunders was asked if Kevin Garnett will be a starter next year. Here’s Saunders’ response:

"He’s gonna start. That’s who he is. KG is a starter. He’s the best power forward on our team, actually. No one rebounds better. He’s the best help defender. No one communicates better. He knows the offense, and he can pass it."

No beating around the bush for Saunders on that one.

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This news likely comes as a surprise to many. Garnett is 39 years old, he’s played 20 years in the NBA and he logged roughly 20 minutes per game in each of the past two seasons. Not to mention the long list of T-Wolves big men: No. 1 draft pick Karl-Anthony Towns, Nikola Pekovic (although Sanders did note Pekovic is out of the starting lineup due to injury), Gorgui Dieng, Anthony Bennett, Nemanja Bjelica and Adreian Payne.

When asked about his abundance of bigs, Saunders said “We do have a lot. You just let them all come into camp and compete.”

It may seem silly to start Garnett over Towns or Dieng, but there’s also plenty of upside to having the aging superstar on the floor for the opening tip.

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No one embodies the Minnesota franchise like Garnett, who is unquestionably the greatest player in Timberwolves history. In a city starved for basketball relevance, it’s no surprise Saunders wants to put KG on display after making the effort to reacquire him last winter.

And just because Garnett starts, that doesn’t mean he has to finish–or even play significant minutes for that matter.

But even from a basketball perspective, there’s some logic to having Garnett in the starting lineup. Minnesota is chock-full of young talent, with Towns, Andrew Wiggins, Zach LaVine, and Tyus Jones all under 21 years of age. Who better to keep them in line than the fiery veteran?

Saunder’s told a story about Garnett’s very first practice upon returning to the T-Wolves, in which KG screamed at Pekovic for not getting back on defense. What happened?

"He [Pekovic] put his damn head down and started running fast. That’s the thing about KG: He’s running back faster than anyone. If a Hall of Famer, one of the greatest power forwards ever, is doing that at 38, how can you not do it?"

Lowe’s piece concludes with the question of whether or not Saunders believes Minnesota can be a playoff team in 2015-16:

"Here’s what KG told our players: If you’re coming to camp on September 29, and you’re coming with the idea that we’re not going to make the playoffs, don’t even bother coming in. That’s all that needs to be said."

Placing Garnett in the starting lineup to begin the season sets a tone for the direction the team wants to head in, and should also get the most out of him from a leadership standpoint.

It’s a low-risk move with nothing but upside for Saunders and the T-Wolves.

Next: KG's Place On The All-Time Scoring List

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