Well, it looks like it's official: Kevin Garnett will wear Celtic green next year, teaming up with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to form one of the most potent (and definitely the most expensive) trio of players in the entire league. From the Boston Herald:
A league source just confirmed that the Celtics and Timberwolves have finalized a deal that will bring Kevin Garnett to Boston in exchange for Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff and two first round draft picks.That's pretty much the same package everyone was talking about yesterday, except that there are now two first-round picks instead of just one headed to Minnesota. It's far too early to say who actually won this trade (especially considering four of the five players Minnesota received are 24 years or younger) but we do know one thing for sure: Boston's depth took a huge hit.
Garnett is expected to arrive in Boston this afternoon for a physical.
Garnett has agreed to a three-year extension with the Celtics beyond the two remaining on his contract, guaranteeing that he will be a Celtic for the next five years.
How huge? There are only nine players under contract. I'm guessing the starting lineup will feature Rajon Rondo at point, Allen at shooting guard, Pierce at the three, KG at the four and Kendrick Perkins in the middle. After that, there's currently a four-man bench consisting of Brian Scalabrine, Tony Allen, Leon Powe and undrafted rookie Brandon Wallace. Of course, bank on second-round picks Glen Davis and Gabe Pruitt filling two more slots but there are still four available jobs on the 15-man roster.
If the Celtics are serious about not just contending but leapfrogging the likes of Cleveland, Detroit and Chicago to get out of the East, they can't afford to round out the roster with D-League-caliber scrubs, especially since their bench is already filled with recent second-round picks and an undrafted rookie. Instead, I won't be surprised to see them use their mid-level exception to go after some of the top remaining free agents.
As I see it, this team needs size on the bench -- there's not a player on the roster after KG and Perkins who's taller than 6-9. Would P.J. Brown be willing to postpone retirement to spell KG off the bench? What about Chris Webber? Does Rafael Arajuo think he might be able to beat out Perkins for a starting job? All three are unrestricted free agents.
The Celtics also have to be at least a little worried about their point guard: is Rondo up to the challenge? Will Pruitt be ready to serve as an adequate backup? If they're looking for insurance, they might be able to convince Brevin Knight or Earl Boykins to come on board. The small forward spot is awfully bare when Pierce isn't in the game: Matt Barnes, Ruben Patterson or James Posey might be a solid addition there.
Most of those players can be had for less than the full mid-level exception, which makes me think the Celtics should be able to add at least two more legitimate rotation guys to their roster. If everyone can come together and jell early in the season, it might be enough to overtake Toronto to win the Atlantic Division and secure home court advantage.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
7-31-2007 @ 6:04PM
SportSnipe.com said...
This is all dependent upon any of these vets getting injured. If one man goes down, the train could derail in Boston.
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7-31-2007 @ 6:39PM
Brad said...
Now lets see them give up Ray and Paul for Kobe!
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7-31-2007 @ 8:41PM
stones said...
Yep, but what a train!
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7-31-2007 @ 6:37PM
trey said...
I give the celtics 10yrs. before they become another lottery team. Wolves might be better off in the long trem?
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7-31-2007 @ 6:46PM
Jeremy said...
both teams still suck. The Celtics have no good players after the big three and Minnesota can suck with a bunch of fillers or Garnett and nothing much else. Im just glad Garnett is out of the west.
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7-31-2007 @ 7:23PM
scott said...
This is a great deal for Boston-
Nobody- not even Dallas or Phoenix have 3 players of this caliber-
The rest of the pieces can be bought or developed internally.
Ray longed to be back East big time and will bring it home; performing better than ever. They would have been tough even without Kevin. Now they win the East unless multiple injuries strike.
As a Knicks fan I am major jealous and perturbed that Isaiah in not this bold, nor is Knick management willing to spend like this.
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7-31-2007 @ 8:30PM
K.S. said...
WHY NOT KOBE TO BOSTON? THAT WOULD TEACH THE
IGNORANT LAKERS MANAGEMENT A LESSON.
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7-31-2007 @ 8:55PM
Rohan said...
I think a real possibility for filling out the Point Guard slot is Troy Hudson, who will be bought out by Minnesota, and could be gotten cheaply considering how little production he's given over the last couple years, and his great desire to stick with KG. If he stays healthy, he's more then capable of replicating the kind of year he had in his first year with the team, scoring 10+ points and effectively running the offense.
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7-31-2007 @ 9:11PM
jay said...
get ride of danny then the celtics will be better off
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7-31-2007 @ 9:21PM
Vince Hartman said...
BIG DEAL, YOU GAVE UP YOUR FUTURE FOR THE PRESENT. YOU SURE YOUR NOT IN CLEVELAND???????????
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7-31-2007 @ 9:26PM
Gary said...
Kobe to Boston? They want to win, not lose!
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7-31-2007 @ 9:36PM
Bo said...
Isn't the kandiman on the Celtics? I remember Ms. Gossip's limmericks, haha.
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7-31-2007 @ 9:42PM
Bo said...
Oops, I take that back. He's a FA, and I guess they're not going to make a qualifying offer? KG would probably refuse to sign if they did, haha.
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7-31-2007 @ 10:00PM
CT said...
The Celtics don't even need one of the big three to get injured to have problems. Who are they going to put on the floor when someone gets into foul trouble or needs a breather. These guys aren't a bunch of 23 year olds anymore. I bet Kevin McHale is praying the Celtics end up in the lottery so Minnesota can get a great draft pick next June. Maybe Danny Ainge will have to put on a uniform again so his team will have somebody that can come off the bench. ROFLMAO.
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7-31-2007 @ 10:15PM
butta said...
im from the nasty north (m&m) minneapolis,mn.but since the timber-PUPS dont want to spend the money to surround kg with talent let him go.now what jersey will i wear now,davis please. but this is always the story in m&m with are teams randy moss gone david ortiz gone i guess these team should be in farm clubs of each sport cause they the most important of the car go all the time the motor instead of buliding around it.........
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7-31-2007 @ 11:17PM
nick said...
lets not forget about tony allen first of all, if he comes back healthy and we sign brevin knight. then expect most teams in the east to not even show up to play the celtics. this starting line is better than any that i have ever seen, and the pistons have survived on their starters for a few years now, if the celtics sign knight they are already deeper than most people think, allen, rondo, and pruitt then add knight and you have a great starting and secondary back court(Pruitt is better off at the 2gaurd spot) and the celts seem to like Glen Davis and with all of his upside why wouldent they the guy is a beast. put scalabrine into the equasion a big who shot the three ball really well in spurts last season and who exhibits all out hustle will be a better role player than people think. but bottom line i still think the MLE should be used on knight somehow i dont think he'l have any problem coming to boston.
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8-01-2007 @ 2:06AM
Steph said...
The Celtics didn't give up 2 first round picks. One of them happens to be a top-10 protected pick Minnesota owed Boston starting a year after they give the Clippers a first round pick (again top 10 protected). In all likelihood, the Celtics weren't going to get that pick anyway but at least it saves Minnesota the headache of having to perform at least one more shenanigan in the future.
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8-01-2007 @ 1:24AM
Steph said...
On paper it's two first round picks but it's really only one as one of the picks is Boston giving back Minnesota the draft pick owed them in the Wally Szcerzbiak deal. The only draft pick Boston loses that's its own is the 2009 pick (top three protected by the way, which hopefully is distantly irrelevent).
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8-01-2007 @ 1:24AM
JKlicious99 said...
I'm jumping ship(a fast sinking one)from U.S.S Milwaukee Bucks to the newly crowned U.S.S Boston Celtics. I loved when the Celtics got Ray Allen, but when I heard today they officially got KG into the fold(another of my favorite players) I'm going green! I don't see any team in the weak East competing against this lineup. Yea, I think they gave up abit too much of their young talent to acquire him, but Celtics want a chance at a championship sooner than later.They can worry about rebuilding now in about 5 years and I see at least 1 championship coming to Boston during that stretch.
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8-01-2007 @ 1:36AM
Steph said...
Boston didn't give up much youth of great value besides Jefferson. Telfair is no sure lock to even be in the league within a couple of years. That's no great loss. Green is no sure lock to ever be a starter with the low basketball IQ he's thus far exhibited. I liked him but I'm not regretting his departure. He comes across as a good kid in interviews, he's got a sense of humor, he can shoot but he's missing key basketball skills. Gomes is a solid player who may carve out a long career as a solid bench player or even a solid starter. He's certainly a lost for a team with aspirations of contending like the Celtics but his lost is not insurmountable for either the short and long term.
The only tough guy to really part was Jefferson but KG is worth it. If it was for a guy like Jermaine O'Neal, it would be a travesty but KG has a chance of performing at a level the next three years Jefferson may never reach.
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