MINNEAPOLIS _ Soon after Glen Taylor led a group of investors to an agreement to buy the Timberwolves in 1994, he helped save the franchise from a potential relocation and the franchise drafted its best-ever player, Kevin Garnett.
Now as Taylor is reportedly looking to sell the team, Garnett is a part of a group with interest in buying it from him.
Taylor, according to a report from the sports business website Sportico, has enlisted the help of merchant bank Raine Group to field offers for the team. Garnett, on his Instagram account, posted a photo the report and added: "I'm one of the groups trying." He included a quick prayer in all capital letters and added, "Let my group get this."
Taylor told The Athletic any potential buyer has to guarantee the team remains in Minnesota, and that any group with plans on moving the team is "not a candidate."
Taylor had not returned messages left by the Star Tribune as of Tuesday afternoon.
Garnett has made no secret of his desire to buy the team in recent years and has said he would like to be part of the group that replaces Taylor as owner. Garnett has had a public feud with Taylor that has lasted past Garnett's second stint with the team, which ended in 2016. Garnett was upset over a variety of issues, including how the franchise handled the death of Flip Saunders and potential role for Garnett in the franchise upon his retirement from the game.
"I don't want to be partners with Glen, and I wouldn't want to be partners with Glen in Minnesota," Garnett said in 2017, according to the website Awful Announcing. "I would love to be part of a group that buys him out and kind of removes him and go forward."
Garnett's feelings toward Taylor haven't subsided since. In an April article in The Athletic, Garnett said: "At this point, I don't want any dealings with Glen Taylor or Taylor Corp. or anything that has to do with him," adding he "doesn't do business with snakes."
Taylor led a group of investors to buy the Wolves from Marv Wolfenson and Harvey Ratner for about $88 million in 1994. Forbes recently estimated the Wolves were valued at $1.375 billion, though that estimate came before the coronavirus postponed the NBA's season in March. The league is likely to see loss of revenue as a result.
The Sportico report said Taylor was seeking $1.2 billion for the team, and that he already had "several parties" already bidding.
Reports of a possible sale have come up before, and Taylor has sold small stakes of the franchise along the way as well. Taylor also owns the Minnesota Lynx and is an investor in Minnesota United. Taylor also owns the Star Tribune.
