The last time Flip Saunders saw Kevin Garnett this amped up in the summer, it was more than a decade ago, when "The Big Ticket" was leading the Timberwolves to the playoffs on a regular basis.
That's one reason why Saunders is so thrilled to be reunited with Garnett for the 2015-16 NBA campaign.
"He's been working out this whole summer. (And) when KG puts his mind to something, he really comes in and is effective," Saunders, Minnesota's president of basketball operations and head coach, said on Friday night, after his franchise officially announced that it had re-signed Garnett.
Garnett, a 15-time All-Star, is 39 now. This will be the 14th season in which he has donned Timberwolves fatigues. It'll be his 21st NBA season overall (Garnett's time with the Timberwolves, of course, sandwiched stints with Boston, from 2007-13, and Brooklyn, from 2013-15). And, Garnett limped to the finish last season, playing in just five late-season games with Minnesota after the Timberwolves re-acquired him in a trade with the Nets in late February.
Thus, it's natural to wonder how much tread the big man has left on his tires.
"From how he's working out this summer, he feels he can play 20 minutes a game," Saunders said of the veteran post player. "He's very committed.
"I believe there's no question he can play 20 minutes a game for us."
Garnett, who officially signed a two-year, $16 million contract on Friday, expressed his own excitement in a statement released by the Timberwolves.
"I can't wait to build something special with this group of guys," the veteran noted. "Hopefully I can help, teach, and also continue to grow and learn from the young guys. It should be great. . . . I'm looking forward to it all."
Saunders -- Minnesota's franchise patriarch -- is quite confident that Garnett -- his franchise's most accomplished player ever -- can be counted on to keep racking up impressive stats for at least one more season. Garnett ranks as Minnesota's franchise leader in virtually every stat category that counts, including games played (932), minutes (35,633), points (19,079) and rebounds (10,568).
Saunders didn't even shoot down the notion of Garnett occasionally playing in back-to-back games. That would add much-needed on-court leadership to a Timberwolves squad that has ample amounts of talented young players, like Ricky Rubio (24 years old), Andrew Wiggins (20), Tyus Jones (19), and the NBA's most recent No. 1 overall draft pick, power forward Karl-Anthony Towns (19).
"KG just has a huge impact," Saunders noted. ". . . He knows my system as well as anybody. So, he can relay that a lot to the players.
"He has a huge impact," Saunders continued. "Because of his passion for the game and how hard he practices and his professionalism."
Garnett will likely defend opposing centers next season, which should ease a bit of the burden that will be placed on Towns, who's 6-foot-11 and athletic, but raw.
"I'll tell you this," Saunders concluded. "When you look at (Garnett's) efficiency rating on the floor, it's pretty high.
"His (mind) frame, going into the game," Saunders added, "is no different than when he was 18 and coming into the league."
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