Kevin Garnett wants to buy the Wolves. (USATSI)
Brooklyn Nets power forward Kevin Garnett is playing what most assume will be the last season of his career, and the 20-year-veteran wants to return to Minnesota after he retires. As the owner of the Timberwolves franchise. From Yahoo Sports' Marc Spears:
"I want to buy the Timberwolves. Put a group together and perhaps some day try to buy the team. That's what I want," Garnett said after a 107-99 loss to the Golden State Warriors on Thursday night.
…
"He would be one of the best owners in the NBA because he understands what the players need and he understands what it takes to be successful in the NBA,” King told Yahoo Sports.
On May 12, Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor told the Associated Press he was looking to add a minority partner who would hold an option to buy him out. Taylor also made it clear he is committed to keeping the team in Minnesota.
…
For Garnett, it's all about his history with the franchise.
"That is the one that has my interest. I have ties there. Flip's there," said Garnett, 38
Garnett obviously has strong ties to Minnesota, and he's the kind of guy that Timberwolves fans could get excited about as an owner. If Taylor could hand the team over to a group headlined by the best player to ever wear its uniform, it would be a heck of a story.
Before we can seriously consider the prospect of Garnett sitting in on labor negotiations, though, he'll need to, you know, finish his playing career. He said to Yahoo Sports that he's enjoying mentoring the young players in Brooklyn and he never wants "to cut an opportunity short." Still, if he starts talking to potential partners, this could be the start of something. I recall a wise man once saying that anything is possible.
Basketball Hot News
D-League salaries remain low
In nearly every respect, the D-League is growing.
Seventeen NBA teams have their own D-League affiliate. D-League teams are selling prominent sponsorships. Josh Huestis and Thunder see it as an ideal developmental center.
But the money is not not yet in place to regularly attract major talent.
Marc Stein of ESPN:
When it comes to compensation, D-League players continue to be placed in one of three classifications (A, B or C) based on experience and make a mere $25,500, $19,000 or $13,000, respectively. Daily per diem on road trips is $40 … compared to $113 in the NBA. But D-League teams do provide housing and medical care to players to offset the comparatively low wages in relation to what they could command in leagues abroad.
One footnote here: D-Leaguers must pay a buyout ranging from $40,000 to $50,000 if they want to terminate their contract to leave during the season for a more lucrative deal internationally.
NBA teams have funneled extra cash to D-League players by signing them to partially guaranteed contracts for training camp, waiving them and then assigning them to their D-League affiliate. But not every player gets that deal, and there’s only so much in it for the NBA squads, who don’t keep the exclusive NBA rights of those players. It’s a teetering workaround for now.
In the long run, expect changes.
The NBA has already reportedly discussed increasing D-League compensation in exchange for a higher age limit, showing the NBA is open to putting more money into the D-League. Maybe it’ll take a higher age limit, but I bet that wouldn’t be a deal-breaker at the negotiating table.
In the meantime, D-Leaguers will have to make do with less money than many of them could get overseas. They also have to really commit to the D-League for the season, because a buyout double your salary is expensive.
But it puts them closer to the NBA radar, an advantage that will keep D-League salaries low for now.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment