28 December 2023
Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez were expected to exercise their option to acquire majority ownership stakes in the Timberwolves and Lynx as early as Thursday, ESPN reported. The deadline to do so is Dec. 31.
That’s not necessarily news as much as a procedural step in the process Rodriguez and Lore have followed over the past two and a half years.
After exercising the option, the partners have time to produce the funds. The shift in majority ownership will then be subject to approval from the NBA’s Board of Governors, but that’s expected to go through.
Rodriguez and Lore have purchased 20 percent stakes in the organization each of the past two years. This 40 percent purchase would move them up to 80 percent ownership, with current majority owner Glen Taylor maintaining the other 20 percent.
This was all part of the process originally agreed upon in April 2021, when Lore and Rodriguez agreed to buy the team from Taylor at a $1.5 billion evaluation. Since then, the two have played integral roles in a number of key decisions, such as the hiring of President of Basketball Operations Tim Connelly.
In that sense, little will change for the Timberwolves going forward. The voices of Rodriguez and Lore were already loud. Now, Taylor’s final approval won’t be needed re: major decisions. Though, by all accounts, the trio have worked well together over the past couple of years.
‘All-star’ ticket plan troubles
The Timberwolves’ 10-game, all-star ticket plan took another hit. Thursday’s game against the Mavericks marked the fourth game of that plan, which is framed as an opportunity to see Minnesota play against a number of the NBA’s premier players.
Except neither Luka Doncic nor Kyrie Irving was in action this game for Dallas, continuing a trend. Of the four games played in that ticket package, only Oklahoma City had its full allotment of high-profile players. The Lakers were without LeBron James, and the Pelicans were missing Zion Williamson in previous games in the package.
Which is fine. Players miss games. The Wolves have won those games thus far, which likely sent fans home happy. It’s just unfortunate for the consumer, who is purchasing that plan with the specific intent of seeing these players in action at Target Center.
Minnesota’s next game on the ticket plan is Jan. 14 against the Clippers. It remains to be seen if Kawhi Leonard and/or Paul George suit up for that one.
Master of basketball
While Doncic missed Thursday’s game, Jaden McDaniels — the Wolves’ best perimeter defender, who often is tasked with slowing Doncic — had this to say about playing against Dallas’ all-star wing:
“I think he low-key kind of mastered the game, really,” McDaniels said Thursday morning. “Just offensively when people guarding him, like he already knows certain passes or certain reads that are going to happen before they do. So I just try to stay in front and contest and do the best I can really. He gonna pass it, do whatever he wants, really. You just got to stay grounded.”
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