What if … Minnesota Timberwolves hadn’t alienated Kevin Garnett
By Ethan Becker
2015-17
The end of Kevin Garnett’s career would’ve played out much differently.
As he’s enjoying his new role as a mentor and teacher to young up-and-comers Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, Garnett decides to play one more season, hoping to have a similar “farewell tour” as his close friend and one-time rival Kobe Bryant had during the 2015-16 season.
Because Sam Mitchell and Milt Newton aren’t fired, Tom Thibodeau is never brought on as president of basketball operations or head coach and Scott Layden is never the general manager.
Also, the Jimmy Butler trade doesn’t happen. The Minnesota Timberwolves keep Zach LaVine, Kris Dunn and some rookie named Lauri Markkanen. Thibs goes without a job and Butler stays with the Chicago Bulls for another season.
Sam Mitchell is kept on as head coach and Milt Newton is retained as general manager. Now that Mitchell and Newton have had an entire offseason and training camp to retool their roster and implement their own system (as opposed to three days like the season before), Minnesota sees a little more success and goes on to have a 32-50 record at the end of the 2016-17 season.
Garnett had announced at the beginning of the season that this would be his last year and in his last home game (a win this time over the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 11), Garnett walks out onto the court to face the fans who supported him throughout his 14-year Minnesota career.
Somehow while remaining totally and completely calm (as was the Garnett style) he thanks the fans, and announces his interest in an ownership stake with the team, as the fans chant “Thank you, Kevin” and “Hall of Fame”.