It is one of the major trades in NBA history. For some, it is the real beginning of the “Superteams”, before the “Three Amigos” of Miami. In any case, it was an event that redistributed the cards in the league.
Having joined the Wolves in 1995 straight out of high school, Kevin Garnett has shone there ever since, racking up statistical exploits… and eliminations in the first round of the playoffs.
The arrivals of Sam Cassell and Latrell Sprewell allowed the team to reach the conference final in 2004, but the upturn was short-lived, as the salary demands of the two men came up against the wallet of owner Glen Taylor in 2005. In the summer of 2007, the Wolves had just missed the playoffs for the third time in a row, and the club's boss explained to the “Big Ticket” that everything had to be rebuilt…
Kevin Garnett in the dark
“I said to Kevin, ‘This is going to take us a while.’ And I think he said, ‘I want to win.’ I said, ‘I’m not sure I can give you that as quickly as you want.’ He was doubtful.”
Howard Beck has thus traced the history of the exchange (among others) in a fascinating article dedicated to Kevin Garnett a few years ago. The latter has always assured that he never asked to leave the Wolves, but Glen Taylor explains that it is less clear than that.
“Now he's saying, 'Glen, you traded me. I didn't want to be traded.' But I'm not sure it's that clear. He's sent me messages saying he wants to be on a title-contending team.”
The only certainty is that Minnesota decides to turn the page, and that interested teams will knock on the door.
The Cavaliers are positioning themselves to surround LeBron James, but the real battle is between the historic foes, the Lakers and the Celtics. Los Angeles is looking for a superstar to re-form a formidable outside/inside duo with Kobe Bryant, while Boston is looking to revive itself by surrounding Paul Pierce.
“Like Kevin (McHale, Wolves GM) and I are very close, we have often had conversations about KG over the years details Celtics GM Danny Ainge. “We thought that Paul (Pierce) and he would make an incredible duo. We thought they complemented each other very well. So we talked about sending Paul to Minnesota, or KG coming to Boston. Whatever would have worked best.”
At the Lakers, it's Phil Jackson who is pushing to get the “Big Ticket” and associate it with Kobe Bryant.
Los Angeles offers Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum
Los Angeles offers Lamar Odom and young Andrew Bynum to the Wolves. The first's casual temperament scares Glen Taylor a little, who on the other hand really likes the second. But Kevin McHale doesn't seem convinced.
“Dr. Buss came to me and said, 'I have a verbal agreement with Taylor, Kevin Garnett is coming to L.A. but McHale hasn't approved it yet.' I told him that was a good excuse. As an owner, you can always say, 'I'll do this but…' But I was hopeful he would join the Lakers.” continues Phil Jackson.
The problem is that Kevin McHale loves Al Jefferson, a young center who is extremely gifted in the low post, like himself.
Boston adds a few more players (Ryan Gomes, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff, Sebastian Telfair), two first-round draft picks, and the deal is done between the Wolves GM and his friend in Boston.
“Obviously, it's always easier to make a deal with someone you know.” regrets Phil Jackson. “The main thing was they wanted to get him out of the (Western) conference, send him to the East, as far away as possible, so they wouldn't have to play him four times a year. It makes sense, it's understandable.”
But according to Glen Taylor, it was really when the Celtics got their hands on Ray Allen that Kevin Garnett agreed to the trade. Even if the owner acknowledges that it wasn't as clear as that.
“We talked to Boston, I got a deal, I presented it to Kevin, and he said, ‘No, I don’t want to be traded.’ Then they picked up [Ray] Allen: I went back to Kevin and said, later, 'Well, they're still there, they want you.' I think he said, 'OK.' I mean, really… I don't know if he remembers it that way or not. Because he said at different times, 'I wish I could have stayed there.' But I think I asked him. I think he agreed. Looking back, I think Kevin wasn't sure how he wanted it to go, and I made the decision for him, rather than having to ask him again.”
Article originally published in 2022
