There’s an old time axiom in sports and it’s sort of like life’s Golden Rule. “A good trade benefits both teams.” Whoever jotted down that phrase could appreciate the deal that sent the Timberwolves’ Kevin Garnett to Boston for Al Jefferson and four other players.
It’s time to conclude that both teams would make the deal again, faster than a referee whistling a three second lane violation. The Celtics have the NBA’s best record, 46-12, and are ranked No. 4 in the latest NBA.com power rankings. The franchise that claims 16 world championships but hasn’t won any since 1986 is back at the top, riding the skills mostly of its three aging stars, Garnett, 31, Ray Allen, 32, and Paul Pierce, 30.
The ride will not last long but it’s a trip the Celtics needed to make. During the last 20 years the Celtics were sometimes okay, often worse and at times dreadful. As recently as last season Boston was 24-58. General manager Danny Ainge, himself a former Celtic from the glory years of the 1980s, had to make a bold move before his name was added to the growing list of failed regimes in Boston. The acquisitions of Garnett and Allen (from Seattle) will likely make Ainge the NBA’s executive of the year.
Kevin McHale, the Wolves’ basketball boss, and Ainge’s former teammate, won’t be a contender for the award but deserves credit for a deal that helps the Wolves now and beyond. The Wolves gave up their box office draw in Garnett, “The Big Ticket.” They also are without one of the NBA’s most versatile 7-footers ever, a player particularly adept at rebounding and shot blocking. But Jefferson’s skills are extraordinary in his own way. Already he’s earned a place among the league’s best low post players, game after game dazzling with moves, footwork and shots near the basket. He is a superior scorer to Garnett in both consistency and clutch shooting.
The numbers tell a lot about this trade and why it benefits both franchises. Garnett is perhaps an old 31 considering all the games he’s played since starting his career, not in college, but in the NBA at 19 years old. His numbers this season include 19 points per game and 9.9 rebounds, down from career averages of 20.4 and 11.3. Garnett’s numbers also include this: he makes over $20 million per year.
Jefferson, 23, makes about $3 million, with a new five year contract totaling $65 million starting next season. Unlike Garnett, neither Jefferson’s salary nor age are liabilities to the Wolves’ future. Jefferson’s stats in points and rebounds compare favorably to Garnett’s. Jefferson ranked 13th in the NBA in points per game at 21.5 and fifth in league rebounding at 11.7 through games on Monday.
The Wolves received Jefferson, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, and Theo Ratliff, plus two first round draft choices and cash in the Garnett deal. Green and Ratliff are now with other teams. Gomes and Telfair have had productive moments as mostly starters, but forget about all that for a moment. This was a deal worth making just for Jefferson.