Thibodeau waiting to hear Garnett's status: 'The great ones deserve time'

New Minnesota Timberwolves head coach and president of basketball operations Tom Thibodeau will give Kevin Garnett all the time he needs to decide whether he'll continue his playing career with the organization next season.

"The great ones deserve time," Thibodeau told The Boston Globe's Gary Washburn.

Garnett, 40, is the only active NBA player who was drafted before 1998, after 19-year veteran Tim Duncan recently announced his retirement.

He has one year left on the two-year, $16-million contract he signed last summer, and Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor said near the end of the regular season that "The Big Ticket" wants to be back in Minnesota for one more run.

There is reportedly a provision in his contract that will allow him to jump into a managerial role should he elect to retire and not fulfill the second year of his deal.

Garnett only made 38 appearances for the team during the 2015-16 campaign, serving as more of a coach and mentor to Minnesota's young stars than a contributor on the floor. The 15-time All-Star averaged just 3.2 points and 3.9 rebounds in 14.6 minutes per game.