Former NBA point guard Jeff Teague has made headlines after admitting that his 2017 decision to sign with the Minnesota Timberwolves was purely financially motivated, and emotionally difficult.
Speaking on the Club 520 Podcast, Teague revealed that he never wanted to join the Timberwolves and described the franchise at the time as “a place to go die.”
“I did not want to go to Minnesota. When I was in the league, Minnesota was a place to go die. I literally went for the money. I cried.”
Teague had hoped to re-sign with the Indiana Pacers, where he had just completed a productive season averaging 15.3 points and 7.8 assists. But his agent warned him that Indiana would likely “lowball” him in free agency. Meanwhile, Timberwolves head coach Tom Thibodeau called early in the process, offering a three-year, $57 million deal.
“My options were Sacramento, Utah, Timberwolves, or Pacers. It’s some badass options,” Teague joked. “So I’m like, I’m gonna f**k with Indiana. My agent was like, ‘They gonna lowball you.’”
Eventually, Teague’s agent informed him they had signed with Minnesota. Teague’s reaction?
“I’m like, ‘F**k we didn’t.’ He like, ‘I never met somebody that’s pissed about $57 million.’”
Teague’s move to Minnesota came during a transitional period for the franchise. The Timberwolves were attempting to build around Karl-Anthony Towns and Andrew Wiggins, and later acquired Jimmy Butler to form a playoff-caliber core. Teague started 70 games in his first season, helping the team reach the postseason for the first time in 14 years.
Despite the playoff berth, Teague’s tenure in Minnesota was marred by injuries and inconsistency. He averaged 13.4 points and 7.0 assists in his first season but struggled to maintain momentum. By 2020, he was traded to the Atlanta Hawks, and later signed short-term deals with Boston and Milwaukee before retiring.
