Kevin Garrnett is rumored to be headed back to the team that drafted him. (Getty)
Kevin Garnett has been traded from the Brooklyn Nets to the Minnesota Timberwolves for forward Thaddeus Young, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo! Sports.
The trade sends Kevin Garnett back to the team that originally drafted him. The Timberwolves are looking to keep KG around for two more years to help transition through their rebuild.
1. Garnett was on the Timberwolves from 1996 until 2007
(Getty)
Garnett won the 2004 NBA MVP and led the Timberwolves to the Western Conference Finals, the furthest the team has ever been in the playoffs.
According to ESPN:
The move affords Garnett the chance to play out what might be his 20th and final NBA season as a member of the team that drafted him out of high school in 1995 — and under longtime coach Flip Saunders.
2. In the 8 Years Between Minnesota Stints, He Played for 2 Teams
(Getty)
In 2007, the Boston Celtics struck a deal sending Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Al Jefferson and expiring contracts plus two 1st-round picks to the Minnesota Timberwolves for KG.
Garnett played for the Celtics from 2007-13, until he was traded to the Brooklyn Nets in 2013. He played with the Nets for a season-and-a-half before being traded back to Minnesota.
3. The Transaction Benefits Both Teams
Milwaukee Bucks rookie Jabari Parker is out for the season with an ACL tear in his left knee. (Getty)
The Nets have one of the highest payrolls in the NBA, but not much of a future to show for it. They’re stuck fighting for a mediocre 8th seed in a bad Eastern Conference. The trade helps them get younger at a key position and Young can play with Mason Plumlee in the front-court in the coming seasons.
Minnesota gets to send KG out into retirement, while also removing Young’s $9 million salary, helping them clear cap space for the future.
4. This Is Young’s 3rd Team Since He Was Drafted
(Getty)
Thaddeus Young was drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers with the 12th overall pick in the 2007 NBA Draft. In the offseason, he was a part of the three-team trade that sent Kevin Love to the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Young has now been traded twice in the last seven months.
5. Garnett Is Likely a Slam Dunk Hall of Famer
(Getty)
Garnett has accumulated over 25,000 points and 11,000 rebounds in his 20-year career. Garnett is widely considered one of the best defensive power forwards to ever play the game, and, alongside tim duncan, Karl Malone, Charles Barkley and Dirk Nowitzki, one of the five greatest power forwards to ever play in the NBA.
Garnett was known for his tenacity and in-your-face style. He regularly intimidated teammates and team’s other players on the court for a psychological edge. Despite his crazy antics at times, he is one of the most respected players of the late 1990s and 2000s and will be a future Hall of Famer someday after he retires.