When last the Minnesota Timberwolves made the Western Conference finals in 2004, contentious contract negotiations with Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell dissolved a contender and ultimately cost them Kevin Garnett, too. A 15-year playoff drought ensued, and they did not win a round until this year.
As the Wolves stand on the precipice of elimination from their second conference finals appearance in franchise history, trailing the Dallas Mavericks, 3-0, an ownership dispute threatens to repeat history.
In 2021, billionaire entrepreneur Marc Lore and former Major League Baseball star Alex Rodriguez agreed to buy a majority ownership stake in the Timberwolves over three installments, the last of which was scheduled for this season.