Minnesota Timberwolves

How Kevin Garnett can help Karl-Anthony Towns during his rookie season

Published Aug. 5, 2015 3:14 p.m. ET

foxsports

Kevin Garnett may not be the most effective player anymore, but that's not why he has value to the Timberwolves. Garnett is basically a coach who just so happens to be wearing a jersey at this point. When he speaks, teammates listen. When he does something, they follow.

That's why a young team wanted to bring back KG, though the nostalgia effect obviously had some influence, as well.

Over at Rant Sports, Dave Daniels writes about the specific effect Garnett could have on the rookie Karl-Anthony Towns:

Towns was the first overall pick in this past June's draft, the third No. 1 pick the Wolves have on their roster, joining 2014 first overall selection Andrew Wiggins and 2013 first pick Anthony Bennett.

(h/t Rant Sports)

Garnett will be starting alongside Karl-Anthony Towns while Nikola Pekovic rehabs his Achilles injury, and that might make the big man a trade asset for Flip Saunders later this season. Pekovic probably never thought he’d be coming off the bench in Minnesota, but that is the world he now lives in. Saunders was candid with Grantland’s Zach Lowe recently about Garnett’s likelihood to start next season.

“He’s gonna start,” Saunders said. “That’s who he is. KG is a starter. He’s the best power forward on our team, actually. No one rebounds better. He’s the best help defender. No one communicates better. He knows the offense, and he can pass it.”

Garnett will prove to be a great mentor for Towns, and this could be a partnership that pays off for the rookie later in his career. Towns will build great habits under the veteran’s tutelage. KG has a way of bringing out the best in his teammates, and it will be no different next season. There are even rumors that Garnett wants to one day own the team, which would be a pretty incredible turn of events.