Jeff: KG Staying Put

Ok so that's not exactly earth-shattering. Although Jer and I remain proponents of dealing KG now, I'm going to say it's 100% certain he'll be a Timberwolf at least through the end of the season. Restating my opinion on trading him for probably the 9432nd time, Chicago can and would offer the right amount of young talent, expiring contracts, and possibly a draft pick to make the deal worth it. You HAVE to get at least 2 of those 3 things, and after this season's over, I'm not sure such a deal exists. But he's staying so I'm trying to see how the Wolves are going to build around Garnett with no real assets to deal. Short of winning the lottery in May and ending up with Greg Oden or Kevin Durant (and that's assuming both come out, which I don't believe is a lock, especially for Oden), can this team be more than a borderline playoff team? It means Randy Foye will have to continue to blossom, Rashad McCants needs to bounce back strong, and Mark Blount needs to continue to play like he never has before. A starting 5 of KG, Blount, Craig Smith, McCants, and Foye shows promise, but in a conference with Dallas, Phoenix, San Antonio, Houston AND the Lakers (not to mention the Jazz and Nuggets in your own division), that still doesn't guarantee you contention. It's going to mean hitting a homerun in the draft regardless of where they draft, and making a few shrewd moves in free agency to shore up the bench and add contributors.

I'm skeptical, but with the The Mayor Freddy Hoiberg running the show next year instead of McHale, there;s at least hope of some competency. Outside of the guys mentioned in their starting 5, another key will be trying to deal the rest of the guys with bad contracts for either cap relief or contributors. With Isaiah Thomas no longer allowed to make deals in New York, the chances of that happening are slim, but you just never know. Rumors of floating of a possible 3 way trade between the Wolves, Cavs, and Kings. The Kings would get Mike James, Cleveland would get Bibby, and they didn't say what the Wolves would get, but hopefully some cap relief would be taking the place of the disappointing James. It's not a blockbuster for Minnesota, but it's certainly a start. Would I love to see them get involved in some of the big name trades being thrown out there like Jason Kidd, Vince Carter, and Pau Gasol? Of course, but because of McHale's blunders, we're back to the same problem they had during the Iverson sweepstakes: they have no talent, expiring contracts, or draft picks to deal.

However, the Wolves won't be alone in not making a big splash between now and Thursday's deadline. Despite a ton of rumors about Kidd, Carter, Gasol, Bibby and others, according to SI.com's Marty Burns it looks like none of the big guys will probably go anywhere.
Of course it's easier as a fan to sit here and criticize GM's for making moves that I feel should be made, but I still have to wonder why Rod Thorn wouldn't deal Kidd to the Lakers. Kidd' value will never be higher, and his contract goes sky high starting next year as he gets older and worse. Burns says that the big hang-up in the Kidd deal is 2nd year Lakers center Andrew Bynum. I understand why the Lakers wouldn't want to include him, but with Kobe, Kidd, and Odom it's not like you're playing for the future. That lineup wouldn't make LA automatic frontrunners in the ridiculously loaded West, but they'd definitely be contenders, and have a great shot at it. Bynum COULD end up being a great center, but you've got to risk that to get a guy like Kidd. As for New Jersey, if it's coming down to the deadline and the Lakers still refuse to budge, you've got to shallow hard and do it without Bynum. Kidd's going to more difficult to trade after this year, and nye impossible in the coming seasons. The available package without Bynum wouldn't be ideal, but it'd be better than nothing. And Vince Carter? I'm guessing the hold-up here is that Carter WILL opt-out of his deal at the end of the year, and teams like the Clippers or others don't want to give up some valuable pieces for a rental. And as I've been wondering why the Magic, a destination considered by some to be #1 on Carter's list as a free agent, wouldn't go ahead and get him NOW for the stretch run in a very winnable Leastern Conference, well I think I just answered my own questions. Why give up players or draft picks when you'll probably get him as a free agent anyways? To me that has to be the thinking. Finally on Gasol, I don't blame Jerry West one bit for holding onto Gasol. They've got the 2nd worst record in the league, and a great chance of landing one of those top 2 picks. With Oden or Durant plus Gasol, Rudy Gay, and some cap room to add some guards, they're right back in the playoff hunt next year. So unless the Bulls meet Jerry's request for the moon, stars, and everything under it (which they won't), he's right to hang onto him.