Report: Window for A-Rod, Marc Lore to buy Timberwolves expires without deal
Glen Taylor, owner of the Minnesota Timberwolves passes a ball before the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the San Antonio Spurs on November 15, 2017 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. ((Photo by Hannah Foslien/Getty Images))
MINNEAPOLIS - Former Major League Baseball star Alex Rodriguez and Walmart CEO Marc Lore don’t own the Minnesota Timberwolves, at least not yet.
Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor made it public on April 10 that he had entered into a 30-day negotiating window with a group led by Rodriguez and Lore to sell the team. That window expired on Monday, and according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, negotiations are ongoing but no formal deal is in place.
The Minnesota Lynx, which have won four WNBA titles under Cheryl Reeve, would be included in the potential sale. Taylor bought the Timberwolves for about $50 million back in 1994, and reportedly wants to sell the franchise for about $1.5 billion. One of Taylor’s top priorities in the sale of the Timberwolves is keeping the franchise in Minnesota.
The Timberwolves have a lease to call Target Center their home arena through 2035.
Rodriguez and Lore were in the Twin Cities last month and visited Mayo Clinic Square, meeting with both the Timberwolves and Lynx front office staff and players. The two were set to attend a Wolves game, which was postponed after Daunte Wright was fatally shot by police in Brooklyn Center.
Rodriguez was spotted at a recent Wolves game. Tuesday's news means that since the private negotiating window has closed without a deal, other potential suitors can re-engage with Taylor if they so choose. One of those is former NBA player Aaron Aflallo, who is leading an ownership group that has pursued at attempt to buy the Timberwolves for several months. According to ESPN's Marc Stein, Aflallo is expected to make another push at the franchise.
The Timberwolves have made one playoff appearance since Kevin Garnett led the team to the Western Conference Finals in 2004. The Wolves are currently 13th in the Western Conference at 21-47, but appear to be building future success around Karl-Anthony Towns, D’Angelo Russell, potential NBA Rookie of the Year Anthony Edwards and possibly Malik Beasley, who was in the middle of his best season before a 12-game suspension that was followed by a hamstring injury.
The Wolves have four regular season games left, starting Tuesday night at the Detroit Pistons. The Wolves also need to finish in the top three of the NBA Draft Lottery, otherwise that first round pick goes to the Golden State Warriors in the trade that sent Andrew Wiggins to the Warriors, and brought Russell to Minnesota.