Kevin Garnett’s Contract Breakdown: From High School To $343 Million In His NBA Career

Kevin Garnett is right up there as one of the greatest power forwards of all time. “The Big Ticket” was known for his intensity, defense, and versatility on offense. At one point, he was named the league’s best player, and he eventually anchored a team defensively to win an NBA championship. Garnett was once the highest-grossing player before LeBron James. When looking back at his career, his 15 All-Star appearances, 12 All-Defensive Team selections, and nine All-NBA nods certify his worth.

Garnett was the No. 5 overall pick by the Timberwolves and Minnesota compensated him among the league’s elite players by the 2000s. After racking in the millions, that continued when he joined the Celtics. The 2000s featured some great talent, but you often found Garnett’s contract near the top of the payroll. After all, he was doing everything. Garnett remains the all-time leader in points, rebounds, assists, steals, and blocks for the Timberwolves. With Garnett leading the way, it was the last time the Timberwolves made the Conference Finals too.

The money was worth it, so let’s take a look at his contract breakdown for his career.

1995-96 NBA Season – $1,622,000 Salary

Stats: 10.4 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 1.8 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.6 BPG

With the fifth pick in the draft, Garnett became the first player to be drafted directly out of high school since 1975. The Timberwolves had not won more than 29 games in any of the last six seasons. The team was in the midst of a rebuilding season as the team hired a new head coach, Flip Saunders. Garnett was quickly inserted into the starting lineup; however, he did not launch into immediate NBA stardom like other future high school prospects.

Garnett had a solid rookie season but you have to remember he was 19 years old and 11 months by the end of the season. He was the youngest player in the league. The Timberwolves suffered a losing season and failed to make the playoffs. He was named to the All-Rookie Second Team.

1996-97 NBA Season – 1,666,000 Salary

Stats: 17.0 PPG, 8.0 RPG, 3.1 APG, 1.4 SPG, 2.1 BPG

Before the season, the Timberwolves constructed a draft-day trade for point guard Stephon Marbury. While Marbury shouldn’t be credited for Garnett’s immediate development, there was an increase in his production. Garnett had two games during the season where he secured eight blocks and Garnett averaged 2.1 blocks for the season.

Garnett’s rise toward stardom helped the team in the wins column as well. The team finished 40-42 and made the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Garnett was an All-Star alongside Tom Gugliotta. In the playoffs, the team was dusted in the first round 3-0 by the Rockets, who were headlined by Hakeem Olajuwon, Clyde Drexler, and Charles Barkley.

1997-98 NBA Season – $2,109,120 Salary

Stats: 18.5 PPG, 9.6 RPG, 4.2 APG, 1.7 SPG, 1.8 BPG

Garnett remained on a low-scale rookie contract, but that was going to change real quick. Garnett turned down an offer worth $102 million for six years. He was using Alonzo Mourning’s contract worth $105 million for seven years and the $100 million contract to Juwan Howard as a measuring tool. Garnett eventually agreed to a six-year, $126 million contract. Some speculated this could be a risk given that Garnett was still so young, but he landed another All-Star appearance.

The Timberwolves had their best record up today and had their first winning season with a 45-37 record. The Timberwolves qualified for the playoffs but were defeated in the first round of the playoffs again. This time, it was a 3-2 series loss to Gary Payton and the Seattle SuperSonics. The offseason featured the loss of former All-star Tom Gugliotta and the beginning of a hefty pay increase for Garnett.

1998-99 NBA Season – $14,000,000 Salary

Stats: 20.8 PPG, 10.4 RPG, 4.3 APG, 1.7 SPG, 1.8 BPG

The lockout season saw Garnett rise to the top of the star charts. Garnett made his first All-NBA Third Team appearance. This was despite the loss of Gugliotta and the future loss of Marbury midway through the season. The Wolves received two-time All-Star Terrell Brandon in return, but the team’s overall play was modest at best.

The Timberwolves were 25-25 for the regular season and qualified for the playoffs with the final spot in the standings. The team was defeated 3-1 by the eventual NBA champion San Antonio Spurs. Despite all of this, Garnett would become one of the most consistent power forwards of the 2000s.

1999-00 NBA Season – $16,806,300 Salary

Stats: 22.9 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.6 BPG

With a $16 million salary, the expectation was that Garnett was going to be one of the best in the league. That is exactly what he did. Garnett nearly won the MVP Award where he was the league runner-up. Garnett also made the All-NBA First Team. The Timberwolves finished 50-32 to set a new franchise record for wins in a season.

Garnett enjoyed playing alongside Wally Szczerbiak and Brandon during the season. The playoffs saw a similar result, though. The Timberwolves lost to the Trail Blazers in the first round 3-1. This would mark another time the team was bounced early in the playoffs.

2000-01 NBA Season – $19,610,000 Salary

Stats: 22.0 PPG, 11.4 RPG, 5.0 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.6 BPG

The end of the 2000 season featured a lot of adversity. Garnett’s close friend Malik Sealy was killed by a drunk driver after celebrating Garnett’s 24th birthday. This emotional disturbance was paired with the Timberwolves getting caught for an illegal signing of Joe Smith. This stripped the team of three first-round draft picks, cost owner Glen Taylor over $3 million, and banned general manager Kevin McHale for a year.

Despite all of these distractions, Garnett managed to lead the Timberwolves to a 47-35 record and make the All-NBA Second Team. The team made the playoffs, but their run was cut short again in the first round. For the second time in three years, the Timberwolves lost to the Spurs in the opening round of the playoffs.

2001-02 NBA Season – $22,400,000 Salary

Stats: 21.2 PPG, 12.1 RPG, 5.2 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.6 BPG

By now, Garnett was a consistent showing in the All-Star voting and the All-NBA discussion. Garnett was one of the $20 million players and he posted another notable season. His numbers were good enough for an All-NBA Second Team appearance. The season ended with disdain, though. The team was swept by the Mavericks in three games. This would make the sixth straight year that the Timberwolves were defeated in the first round.

At this point, it was a critical part of his career. Everyone knew that without Garnett, the Timberwolves were not going to be a contender. However, this was the sixth year in a row that the team lost in the first round. How high was this ceiling for the team? Plus, the team was committing a lot of money to get first-round exits. With that said, the next two years would feature over $53 million in salary, but be the most fruitful years for the franchise.

2002-03 NBA Season – $25,200,000 Salary

Stats: 23.0 PPG, 13.4 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.6 BPG

Twenty years later, this salary was worth $41 million. Back then, this $25 million salary meant that Garnett was a prized piece. At the time, this was the best season in Garnett’s career. He made his second appearance on the All-NBA First Team. He also finished second in the MVP voting and the Timberwolves won 51 games. However, the playoffs featured their seventh exit in the first round with a loss to the Lakers.

For seven years, the fan faithful had backed this team and Garnett. Call it the failures, but this would set up the greatest season in team history. The Timberwolves were about to pay a ton of money to Garnett. That prompted the team to make some very serious decisions in the offseason.

2003-04 NBA Season – $28,000,000 Salary

Stats: 24.2 PPG, 13.9 RPG, 6.0 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.6 BPG

Garnett’s salary would have been worth more than $44 million in today’s NBA. Only a handful of players get these types of deals and Garnett would have earned it. This year, he lived up to the hype of being the highest-paid player in the league. The Wolves made moves to acquire Latrell Sprewell and Sam Cassell. Garnett recorded a career-high in points, rebounds, and blocks. That included leading the entire league in total rebounds.

Garnett was crowned the league MVP and led the team to a franchise record of 58 wins. The Timberwolves were the top team in the conference standings and finally got past the first round in the playoffs. The team defeated the Nuggets in the first round and then outplayed the Kings in seven games. In the Conference Finals, the team lost to the Lakers in six games. This season remains the best team ever in franchise history.

2004-05 NBA Season – $16,000,000 Salary

Stats: 22.2 PPG, 13.5 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.5 SPG, 1.4 BPG

This season would mark the start of a frustrating stretch for Garnett and the team. The Timberwolves failed to make the playoffs for the first time in eight years. The team finished the year 44-38. Garnett made the All-NBA Second Team; however, his performance was outshined by the team’s failures to make the playoffs.

After making the Conference Finals, coming up this short was a massive blow. Not to mention, Garnett’s salary was $12 million less, so the team had some financial flexibility at this time. While the team didn’t win a championship, one could say this was a hangover because it was the first time that this group had gone deep into the playoffs.

2005-06 NBA Season – $18,000,000 Salary

Stats: 21.8 PPG, 12.7 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.4 BPG

The hangover excuse could not be used this season, though. This season was just all-around frustrating. Sprewell decided to turn down an extension with the team. The Timberwolves traded Cassell for Marko Jaric, who was completely ineffective. The team’s record dropped to 33-49. Garnett averaged an exceptional stat line, but the team had the second-worst record of his tenure with the team.

At this point, Garnett was a seasoned veteran. He was starting to wonder what his future would look like because it was looking like he was not going to win a championship with this team. This was the same team that rewarded him with a second $100 million contract. Garnett signed a five-year, $100 million contract for 3004 to 2008. However, loyalty was starting to chide away as Garnett was all about winning.

2006-07 NBA Season – $21,000,000 Salary

Stats: 22.4 PPG, 12.8 RPG, 4.1 APG, 1.2 SPG, 1.7 BPG

Garnett’s final season with the Timberwolves was the final straw. The team dropped further to a 32-50 record. Garnett was All-NBA Third Team for the second season in a row. It was evident that this was it for him with the team. The team was initially going to keep Garnett, but the team decided to listen to trade offers around the league.

It was the 2007 offseason that featured the largest number of players traded in one single trade. The Celtics agreed to trade Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff, cash considerations, and two first-round picks. The Celtics had also made a move for Ray Allen, as the big three of Garnett, Allen, and Paul Pierce headlined the Celtics.

2007-08 NBA Season – $23,750,000 Salary

Stats: 18.8 PPG, 9.2 RPG, 3.4 APG, 1.4 SPG, 1.3 BPG

The “Big Three” clicked right away and Garnett was an instant star in Boston. He was the leading vote-getter at the All-Star Game. His voting total nearly hit 2.4 million and was the sixth most votes ever received by an NBA player. By the end of the year, Garnett won the Defensive Player of the Year Award. It was the first time in franchise history that a player on the team received this recognition.

While Garnett played it off on the team’s support, it was Garnett that finished third in the MVP voting. The Celtics made a championship run in the playoffs. The team played the Lakers in the NBA Finals and Garnett won his first championship. It was also the team’s first championship since the Larry Bird era in the 80s. Garnett had the numbers to win Finals MVP, but the voters gave the award to Paul Pierce.

2008-09 NBA Season – $24,751,934 Salary

Stats: 15.8 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.1 SPG, 1.2 BPG

Due to nagging injuries, Garnett suited up for 57 games during the season but he was selected to his 12th All-Star Game. Right after the All-Star Game, Garnett injured his right knee, and he was forced to miss the next 14 games. When he returned, he was limited, averaging less than double-digit points and rebounds before he was shut down for the rest of the season.

Due to his knee, he missed the final 25 games of the regular season and playoffs. In May, he underwent surgery. The Celtics were ultimately eliminated in the second round of the playoffs by the Magic. With that said, Garnett was rehabbed and was fully healthy for the start of the next year.

2009-10 NBA Season – $16,400,000 Salary

Stats: 14.3 PPG, 7.3 RPG, 2.7 APG, 1.0 SPG, 0.8 BPG

The Celtics struggled with injuries as a whole this season. Garnett’s production somewhat slipped, but he was 33 years old at this time. Even though the team sunk to the No. 4 seed in the conference standings, Garnett was named to his 13th All-Star appearance and the team rode a hot streak to make the NBA Finals.

The Celtics defeated the Heat, Cavaliers, and Magic to set up a rematch with the Lakers. One of the most memorable games for Garnett was Game 6 of the second round when Garnett’s 22 points and 12 rebounds helped eliminate LeBron James and the Cavaliers. In the Finals, the series went to seven games, and the Lakers got their revenge with the win.

2010-11 NBA Season – $18,800,000 Salary

Stats: 14.9 PPG, 8.9 RPG, 2.4 APG, 1.3 SPG, 0.8 BPG

Garnett was midway through his 30s but he was still a consistent force that made the Celtics competitive at a high level. The Celtics started the season strong by going 23-3 in their first 26 games. However, Garnett injured his right knee again after he tried to dunk. He missed two weeks with the injury. He returned midway through January and played the rest of the season.

His blocks average was at a career low, but Garnett could still man the middle. By this time, the big three was opposed by another big three, with LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh teaming together in Miami. The two teams played each other in the second round, where the Heat won the series in five games.

2011-12 NBA Season – $21,247,044 Salary

Stats: 15.8 PPG, 8.2 RPG, 2.9 APG, 0.9 SPG, 1.0 BPG

The lockout-shortened season was the last dance for the team’s big three. The team started the season off with a 15-17 record midway through the season. For the first time in 11 years, Garnett was not an All-Star. In the second half, the team turned everything around. The team finished 24-10 and claimed the fourth seed in the playoffs with a 39-27 record.

In the playoffs, the team defeated the Hawks in six games and then defeated the 76ers in seven games in the second round. That set a matchup with the Miami Heat. It was the third time in five years that the Celtics made the Conference Finals. The Celtics held a 3-2 lead but lost Games 6 and 7. Garnett averaged 19.2 points, 10.3 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in the seven-game series, but it was not enough.

2012-13 NBA Season – $12,467,532 Salary

Stats: 14.8 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 2.3 APG, 1.1 SPG, 0.9 BPG

Before the season began, Garnett agreed to a three-year, $34 million contract extension with the Celtics. The season featured an average showing from the team. Ray Allen departed the Celtics to join the Heat, which began a near-decade feud with the former teammates. The Celtics endured losing streaks of seven and six respectively and the team was seventh in the conference with a 41-40 record.

The team lost to the New York Knicks in six games in the first round of the playoffs. Garnett ultimately served just one season of his extension with the Celtics. The Celtics decided to trade Pierce, Garnett, and Jason Terry to the Brooklyn Nets in one of the worst trades orchestrated by the Nets in team history, while the draft capital received turned into future stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

2013-14 NBA Season – $11,532,468 Salary

Stats: 6.5 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.5 APG, 0.8 SPG, 0.7 BPG

The Nets gave up future first-round picks in 2014, 2016, and 2018, as well as Kris Humphries, Gerald Wallace, Kris Joseph, MarShon Brooks, and Keith Bogans to get the three former champions. This trade ultimately did not turn out the way Brooklyn had hoped. Despite possessing a starting lineup of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, Pierce, Garnett, and Brook Lopez, the team was unable to advance past the second round of the playoffs.

On top of that, Garnett was getting older. The grind was noticeable. After his 19th season in the league, Garnett averaged career lows-in points and rebounds. Garnett remained under contract for one more year, but his stay with Brooklyn would not last long.

2014-15 NBA Season – $12,000,000 Salary

Stats: 6.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.0 APG, 0.4 SPG, 1.0 BPG

The highlight of Garnett with the Nets was passing Walt Bellamy for ninth on the all-time rebounding list. Garnett made it halfway through the season with the Nets. He was traded to the Timberwolves in exchange for Thaddeus Young after waiving his no-trade clause. He appeared in five games for the team but was shut down for the final 21 games due to nagging injuries.

The conclusion of his 20th season saw Garnett relegated to a leadership role. The Timberwolves were not competing at a high level at the time. Garnett was praised for mentoring the younger players on the team. That helped lead to Garnett resigning from the team for $16 million and two years.

2015-16 NBA Season – $8,500,000 Salary

Stats: 3.2 PPG, 3.9 RPG, 1.6 APG, 0.7 SPG, 0.3 BPG

Statistically, this was the worst season of his career. Garnett joined Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Karl Malone, Jason Kidd, and Elvin Hayes as the only players to accumulate 50,000 career minutes. He then joined the 15,000 career point club. While his numbers didn’t show a great season, he appeared in 38 of the team’s first 45 games.

However, his right knee ailed him one final time. The knee injury was re-aggravated, and it forced him to miss the entire second half of the season. At the end of the season, Garnett chose to retire after 21 seasons in the league. He had expressed interest in returning to the team but didn’t think his knee would have held up for one more season.

Career Earnings – $343,862,398

It was not until recently that LeBron James passed Garnett for the all-time earnings total. There are only three players, for now, that own over $300 million in their careers. Those are James, Garnett, and Kobe Bryant. Chris Paul is getting dangerously close to $299,909,419 for his career. What all of these players have in common is that they are generational players. James will always be a legacy player for the Heat, Cavaliers, and Lakers. Bryant is the most iconic Laker outside of Magic Johnson, while Paul owns several franchise records with the Pelicans and Clippers while leading the Suns to the NBA Finals.

Garnett and Timberwolves are synonymous. It might sound like a broken record, but the team has been nothing without him. While one could look back at the numerous first-round playoff exits, at least the team was competitive. Minnesota has something to look forward to each season. The team owns just one Conference Finals appearance in franchise history and he is the only team MVP. The Celtics equally made a great investment with the personnel of players and money given to him because he was a huge part of the 2008 championship team, and likely should have won the Finals MVP Award. 

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