Ramifications of a Blockbuster- The Kid v. Big Al
The iconic and beloved Kevin Garnett's departure this summer was the inevitable last resort effort to save a struggling franchise. In return, the Minnesota Timberwolves received five players and two first round draft picks. Of Theo Ratliff, Ryan Gomes, Sebesatian Telfair, Gerald Green and Al Jefferson, Jefferson has the best chance of filling the fan favorite's shoes. Just don't expect him to be the same player as KG.
Big Al, as he is known, is a dominant low-post scorer/rebounder with the physical traits necessary to be an all-star on the block. Kevin McHale coveted Jefferson in the blockbuster trade and has high hopes that the 22 year-old will becomes the face of the franchise. I'll note that they don't exactly have any other options, so he's going to be the face regardless.
At this early stage in the season Garnett looks like he is 22 again as well. He's dominating the league in rebounding and unselfishness, while scoring in spurts when needed. The 7-0 Celtics are being discussed as the team that could break the NBA record fastest start of 15-0 set by the Houston Rockets in 93-94. That team finished 58-24 and won the NBA title. Meanwhile, the Wolves finally grabbed a win this week and have started with a dismal 1-5 record that has fans staying at home and newly acquired veterans like Antoine Walker publically saying it's going to be a long season.
So, did the Wolves get anything out of trading away Garnett? If you take 10 minutes to watch a game, you'll see that the Minneapolis franchise isn't as bad as their record reflects. Rashard McCants is coming around in his third season in the league and had a career high 33 points in the first win. Randy Foye remains injured, but will help the team when available. Even Antoine Walker has had a few solid games off the bench and has re-established his three point range.
But what about the KG deal? The draft picks will help tell the whole story, but Al Jefferson alone makes the deal a rational one. His youth makes his potential sky high and he's already extremely close to KG statistically. Remember, the Celtics received one player in the deal. The Wolves received one player that could be just as good in the long run, and several others that are young enough to develop or, at worst, trade for the right pieces. The Twin Cities may lack a poster boy to sell tickets, but Al Jefferson and the rest of these hard working players deserve a shot at gaining the fans affection. This year's marketing campaign, "Come See What They Can Do" deserves an award for appropriateness.
The final determination of who got the best of this deal may not come for years, but a sneak preview takes place Friday, February 8th from the sold-out Target Center when the Celtics visit the Wolves. ESPN's coverage will ensure we all have a chance to watch Kevin Garnett's return to Minneapolis.
2 comments:
The Wolves did what they had to do with a bloated contract for an aging Garnett and have started basically fresh. They are rather painful to watch and uninteresting to those who aren't die-hards but it's Minnesota, we are used to mediocrity in our pro sports.
It's funny to hear that you're numb to caring how much teams succeed in MN after all the years of disappointment. Being from WI, my era was at least blessed with a Packers Super Bowl victory and the career of Brett Favre. While the Brewers and Bucks have been wildly depressing, there is no expectation for either of them to really be good. The Twins, Vikings and Timberwolves have teased MN fans with close calls and near successes, only to see it always fall apart. The difference is that fans in MN started to expect success and are now coming to the realization that (unless you're in Detroit or Chicago) the midwest isn't going to crown a lot of championship teams. At least WI fans are cool with that and don't bad mouth their teams every chance they get.
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