Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor: We want to retire Kevin Garnett’s number, but he has been ‘silent’

Three all-time greats retired last year: Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett.

The Spurs already retired Duncan’s number. The Lakers will put both of Kobe’s numbers into the rafters next month.

When will the Timberwolves follow suit with Garnett?

Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor, via Derek Wetmore of 1500ESPN:

“For our part, we have invited KG to do that numerous times,” Taylor said in a radio interview with 1500ESPN. “So I think it’s just waiting for KG to feel comfortable doing that. For whatever reason, he’s been a little bit silent on that issue. But I’m sure it’ll happen. We’re not pushing but we sure have told him that the door is open and we look forward to that time.”

There has been a rift between Taylor and Garnett stemming from Flip Saunders’ untimely death. Garnett planned to take a greater role in a Saunders-run organization, but after Saunders died, Minnesota installed Tom Thibodeau as president-coach.

As of last spring, Garnett said the franchise never reached out about retiring his number – directly rebuking a Taylor claim. Taylor keeps insisting the ball is in Garnett’s court. I wonder whether Garnett’s take has changed.

The Timberwolves will eventually retire Garnett’s number. Time heals all wounds. There’s no set timeline for these things, even in better circumstances. Obviously, Taylor wanted it to happen sooner, but there’s no such thing as too late here.