With less than two months before the start of the 2016-2017 season, there has still been little news on whether or not Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Garnett will play out the final year of his contract, the 22nd of his career.

Though news surfaced that The Big Ticket has had conversations with team owner Glen Taylor and newly-appointed head coach, Tom Thibodeau, they are giving the 40-year-old all the time he needs to think it through and ultimately make his decision before the start of training camp.

But if you ask someone who knows the 15-time all-star well, they believe Garnett still has enough gas in the tank for one final season and will continue to serve as a mentor for the young players the T-Wolves have in their lineup.

Doc Rivers, who coached the 2004 MVP in their days with the Boston Celtics, had this to say, as reported by Chris Forsberg of ESPN:

“I think Kevin — and I know it, because I talk to him — loves the young guys on his team, he loves how they work. He thinks they have an old-school mentality. So I think he’s really gotten into Kevin, the teacher. And I honestly never saw that coming, either. Yet he was a phenomenal teacher with [Boston]; I just didn’t think he would have the patience to do it. And I think Kevin loves teaching these young guys.”

With the likes of last year's Rookie of the Year, Karl-Anthony Towns, Zach LaVine, Andrew Wiggins, and the team's top pick this year, Kris Dunn, there certainly isn't a shortage of young talent that Garnett can mentor and prepare for possible long NBA careers, like he's had.

KG's $8 million contract for the coming season may still be up in the air at this point but it's hard to question his former coach's take. If he decides to come back for his swan song, it's expected that he'll play a small role off the bench with very limited minutes. But, his leadership in the locker room, as well as being the teacher to the young guns, is something more valuable to the whole team than the reduced playing time.