Minnesota Timberwolves ownership battle settled: Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez's legal fight for franchise explored

Though the Minnesota Timberwolves have bared their fangs on the hardcourt over the past few seasons, another battle was being fought away from the roaring crowd at Target Center. The stakes of this battle were none other than majority ownership of the team.

On Monday, arbitrators finally decided this legal dispute: Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez would take over majority ownership from billionaire Glen Taylor.

"We are extremely pleased with today's decision," Lore and Rodriguez said in a statement following the arbitrators' decision. "We look forward to working with the NBA to complete the approval process and close this transaction so we can turn our attention to winning championships in Minnesota for our incredible fans and the Twin Cities community."

For all intents and purposes, the arbitration marks the end of a dispute that began in March, when Taylor backed out of an agreement in which he'd sell the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Minnesota Lynx to Lore and Rodriguez. The agreement had been announced in April 2021.

Taylor — a former Minnesota state senator back in the 1980s — was said to have reneged on the deal because Lore and Rodriguez were allegedly unable to meet the deadline for the final payment.

According to Joe Nelson of Sports Illustrated, Lore and Rodriguez have $940 million in escrow to complete their payment to Taylor for the purchase of the Timberwolves and the Lynx. The sale, which reportedly has a 90-day period for completion, will also be pending the approval of the NBA's board of governors.

Minnesota Timberwolves star caught on cam talking smack to defender

While the legal dispute over majority ownership of the Timberwolves has come to an end, the fierce battles on the court continue to rage on, with the team's top star leading the competitive drive.

During the Wolves' showdown with the Houston Rockets on Thursday, Anthony Edwards went up against reputed defender Dillon Brooks. After draining a tough three, Ant-Man gave Brooks a piece of his mind. His words were clearly caught in the TV broadcast:

"That n**** booty. ... F**K wrong with this n**** talking all that s**t?" Edwards said.

For good measure, the Wolves ended up winning 127-114 on the strength of Edwards' 41-point performance.