As you probably know, Minnesota and Boston had come to agreement on terms to send the highly talented Kevin Garnett to the Celtics for a package of young players and the #7 pick overall. The deal was in place and Boston fans were about to find some solace after missing out on the Oden and Durant sweepstakes. But of course, it is Boston so what happened next was bound to happen. At the last second, K.G. shoots down the deal saying he doesn’t want to play for them. (Suicide Watch: Danny Ainge & Bill Simmons). Moving on to the next trade scenario for K.G. brings us to Phoenix, Arizona. Garnett has apparently gotten frustrated with incompetent, moronic McHale and owner Glen Taylor and told them that if you’re going to trade me, send me to the Suns. I don’t see it happening and here’s why:
1) The Twolves want Amare in exchange for Garnett and are not willing to accept a package including the disgruntled (and overrated) Shawn Marion, Boris Diaw and some other bench geek. They want Amare for K.G. The Suns won’t do that because it makes no sense. You have a 24 year old entering his elite years who is already wrapped up in a long term contract. Trade him for a GREAT player but, lets be honest, has a lot of miles on his odometer. 12 years and being age 31 isn’t very enticing. Throw in the fact that he’s got a figure over 20 million per season coming up and he can opt out after the season.
2) Reason number two is the Shawn Marion being Shawn Marion. A three way trade was possible by sending Marion and Diaw to Boston, Boston sends the package they just offered to Minnesota, and Minnesota sends K.G. to the Suns. That’d work out for everyone right? Well Marion said he’s not playing for ‘Sota and he’s definitely not playing for Boston. So that’s that. (By the way, wasn’t being the highest paid player on the Suns while being the 3rd, maybe 4th most important enough for Marion?? Guess not.)
3) Lastly, K.G. has a clause in his contract that states he will get a 15% increase on his contract (as if he really needs it), if he is traded to another team. That would bring his 2007-2008 figure to a little over $25 million for one season. To make matters worse, he has a bunch of little extra clauses that are supposed to kick in July 1st in which he’d make even more money. Phoenix is over the luxury tax limit and they are already looking at a San Francisco 49ers like financial disaster 3 years from now (because of the contracts that Nash and Amare have, plus the ENORMOUS contracts that overpaid Jalen Rose and Diaw have.) Jalen Rose was the highest paid cheerleader this year by the way. So the Suns don’t have the wiggle room to afford KG unless they move Amare AND Marion’s contracts.
Only way there is even a remote possibility of KG playing for the Suns is if another team gets involved for a 3-way, and Princess Marion accepts going there PLUS the team offers equivalent to what Boston offered ‘Sota.
To summarize folks, looking around the league and what can be offered, this trade isn’t going down.
Sorry KG. You won’t be running alongside Nash anytime soon.