The Other Side of the Kevin Garnett Trade

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The Other Side of the Kevin Garnett Trade

The six player trade that happened between the Boston Celtics and the Minnesota Timberwolves got a lot of attention from the fans.

We all know how well Kevin Garnett and the Boston Celtics are doing. Let’s take a look at how the players that were sent to the Minnesota Timberwolves are doing.

For those that have already forgotten, the Minnesota Timberwolves picked up Sebastian Talfair, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff, and a first round draft pick (top 3 protected). Let’s break down how they’ve done since the trade.

• Sebastian Telfair - He’s had an up and down season thus far for the Minnesota Timberwolves. Sebastian Telfair is averaging 9.4 points and 5.4 assists a game. Out of the 21 games that he’s played so far, he’s started 12 games, mainly because of injuries to the backcourt. Inconsistency has been the theme for this year, but he does appear to be focusing more on the passing aspects of the game lately. He’s still young (only 22 years old), so the Minnesota Timberwolves can afford to wait for him to develop into a key backcourt contributor.
• Gerald Green - The 21 year old is having trouble getting on the court. He has yet to start a game. He’s only played in 10 games this year, and he’s averaging a paltry 8.1 minutes a game. Gerald Green’s numbers are pretty pathetic right now. It’s been a frustrating season thus far for Gerald Green, and it’s clear to see. Right now, he’s not seeing eye to eye with coach Randy Wittman.
• Ryan Gomes - The Minnesota Timberwolves used Ryan Gomes as a starter earlier in the season. Lately, though, his minutes have become inconsistent. That’s fine, though, because Ryan Gomes is more of a bench player anyways. His energy and hustle off the bench will come in handy. With Ryan Gomes, it’s not about stats.
• Al Jefferson - This has been the gem of the trade. Al Jefferson has continued his improvement and is now a legitimate All-Star player. He’s turned himself into a 20/10 player (20.1 points and 11.5 rebounds to be exact). The best part for the Minnesota Timberwolves is that Al Jefferson is still a few weeks away from turning 23. Fans aren’t going to forget about Kevin Garnett by any means, but having a young productive big man like Al Jefferson helps to ease the pain.
• Theo Ratliff - The veteran center is going to be missing quite a bit of the season because of knee surgery. His value to the team, though, is that he has a big expiring contract worth $11.6 million. Wouldn’t be surprised if management decided to just keep him on the sidelines for the rest of the season.
• 2009 First Round Draft Pick - The Minnesota Timberwolves get this pick as long as it’s not the first three pick in the draft. Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Kevin Garnett have meshed together a lot faster and a lot better than most people expected them to. If they keep things up, there’s really very little chance that the Minnesota Timberwolves won’t be getting an additional draft pick in 2008.

Right now, Kevin Garnett is helping the Boston Celtics remain on top of the league. He’s averaging 18.9 points, 10.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists. The five guys that the Boston Celtics traded for him are producing 48.9 points, 23.5 rebounds, and 9.9 assists. Well, to be fair, that’s five guys combined.

Nonetheless, the trade doesn’t look that bad for the Minnesota Timberwolves when you really break it down.