More than two decades after leaving Seattle in free agency, Alex Rodriguez may have interest in returning to the Emerald City and bringing an NBA franchise with him.
Rodriguez and Marc Lore are tentatively set to take over as owners of the NBA's Timberwolves in 2023, and Charley Walters of The St. Paul Pioneer Press says that the three-time American League MVP may not be committed to keeping the team in Minnesota:
There’s buzz now that Kevin Garnett, who is said to be worth more than $200 million, will be heavily involved in the Timberwolves basketball department if he joins franchise investors Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore if/when they gain full control in 2023. The word is Garnett, the ex-Timberwolf, wants the franchise to remain in Minnesota but Rodriguez wants to move it to Seattle, where he played for seven seasons.
The parties involved in the finalized sale of the franchise (which the league still needs to approve) don't appear to necessarily be in agreement - at least publicly - about whether the Timberwolves are required to remain in Minnesota as part of the pact.
Incumbent owner Glen Taylor told WCCO Radio that the sale requires new ownership to keep the franchise in Minnesota. However, ESPN Adrian Wojnarowski reported last week that a court filing shows that the next ownership would not be required to keep the Timberwolves in Minnesota if they had other ideas.
Currently, the Timberwolves play in the Target Center, which was opened in 1990 and last renovated in 2017. Seattle last had an NBA franchise in 2007-08, the final season before the Supersonics relocated to Oklahoma City. At the time, Seattle was unable to find a succession plan for what was then called KeyArena. Now known as Climate Pledge Arena, the space has undergone a multi-year renovation project in anticipation of the NHL's "Seattle Kraken" having their inaugural season in 2021-22. The arena is now believed to be ready for the return of the NBA, should the opportunity present itself.
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