Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett (21) looked on during a game in April. Garnett played in 38 of the team's 82 games last season. (Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Timberwolves camp is looming — the first practice is Tuesday — and Wolves owner Glen Taylor still is waiting to hear if Kevin Garnett wants to play another season.

Wednesday night ESPN reporter Marc Stein tweeted that the Wolves and Garnett were in "advanced discussions'' on a buyout that would end Garnett's second stay with the team.

Taylor said the report was an overreach, though it is possible that a buyout could be agreed to should Garnett decide he no longer wants to play. Garnett is under contract for $8 million this season.

But no agreement can be negotiated until Taylor — who has been handling contact with Garnett — is informed of Garnett's intent. And Taylor said he hasn't talked with Garnett for weeks.

"I have not talked with him at all,'' said Taylor, who also owns the Star Tribune. "We have to decide, in the next couple weeks, if he's going to play or not play. I'm waiting for him. I sent him a message, told him, 'I need you to make a decision.' I just haven't heard from him.''

There has been cursory contact with Garnett's camp, but nothing definite. Of course that could change quickly in the next day or so.

But, with no substantive contact, and with camp so close to starting, the possibility grows that Garnett has donned a Wolves uniform for the last time.

Wednesday morning, in an interview about the upcoming season, Wolves president of basketball operations and head coach Tom Thibodeau said any KG decision would come out of talks between Garnett and Taylor.

"We'll see how it unfolds," Thibodeau said. "But, obviously, what Kevin has meant to our league, the organization, he's earned the right to have those discussions with Glen.''

At stake is whether Garnett, 40, will return for a 22nd NBA season.

Drafted out of high school with the fifth overall pick in the 1995 draft, Garnett was the cornerstone of a team that made eight straight playoff trips starting in the spring of 1997.

Garnett was traded to Boston after the 2006-07 season; he and the Celtics won the NBA title the following spring.

Garnett returned to the Wolves in February of 2015. Then president of basketball operations Flip Saunders convinced Garnett — then with Brooklyn — to waive his no-trade clause and return to Minnesota to mentor the Wolves' younger players.

He was sidelined by knee soreness after five games that season. Last year he was limited to 38 games by the same issues.

Etc.

• Thibodeau said center Nikola Pekovic, trying to come back from the ankle and Achilles pain that has hampered him for three seasons, is not likely to be ready to practice when camp starts Tuesday.

"He's been here for a good chunk of the summer, trying to rehab," Thibodeau said. "He hasn't been able to do much on the court. So he's still having some issues there. At this point I would say it's unlikely he will practice."

• Thibodeau indicated the team hasn't done much in terms of talking to either Gorgui Dieng or Shabazz Muhammad on a contract extension. But he didn't rule out the possibility the subject could be broached before October's end.

• Thibodeau said there is a chance veteran free-agent swingman Rasual Butler will be added to the team's training camp roster.