Nobody's guessing about what Kevin Garnett will do

"There's one person who knows his future, and that's him," interim coach Sam Mitchell says.

April 11, 2016 at 12:47PM
Veteran Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett, second from right, has served more as a mentor to youngsters like Karl-Antony Towns than as a player this season.
Veteran Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett, second from right, has served more as a mentor to youngsters like Karl-Antony Towns than as a player this season. (Randy Johnson — Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The NBA says goodbye to five-time champion Kobe Bryant on Wednesday in Los Angeles, completing a celebrated farewell tour he launched in November when he announced his 20th season would be his last.

Meanwhile, fellow future Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett hasn't played since Jan. 23 because of aging knees, and his 21st season is down to its final two games. He's due $8 million next season, but what's the chance he has played his last game and will decide his 39-year-old body just cannot play anymore?

"There's one person who knows his future, and that's him," said Wolves interim head coach Sam Mitchell, a former teammate. "You know how he is. He's just not going to tip his hand one way or the other. He has earned the right to do that."

Garnett hasn't spoken to local media since early February. After last season, he took more than two months to decide whether he'd play again.

"It's a tough one," Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers said when asked if he has seen the man he coached to the 2008 NBA title play his last game. "I know he's probably strongly thinking about it [retirement], you know? But we'll see. I stay away from that one."

Garnett appears to be in a retrospective mood these days, posting photos present and very past almost daily to his Instagram account.

Wolves owner Glen Taylor last month said Garnett told him he wants to play next season because he thinks the Wolves will be a playoff team. "His heart and his head say he wants to be here," Taylor said. "His body may be telling him he might not be able to do that."

about the writer

about the writer

Jerry Zgoda

Reporter

Jerry Zgoda covers Minnesota United FC and Major League Soccer for the Minnesota Star Tribune.

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