Lakers keen to trade for Kevin Garnett
27 06 2007The Los Angeles Lakers reportedly want to swing a trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves for perennial all-star Kevin Garnett.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the Lakers have offered forward Lamar Odom and centre Andrew Bynum in return for Garnett, who averaged 22.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.7 blocked shots for the mediocre Timberwolves (32-50) last season.
Kevin Garnett (21) reportedly is the focus of trade talks with the Lakers.
(Frank Franklin II/Associated Press)
Centre Kwame Brown is another player being dangled by Los Angeles, while Minnesota is willing to part with guards Troy Hudson and Marko Jaric.
“We felt the team underachieved last year,” Lakers general manager Mitch Kupchak said of Los Angeles, which squeaked into the playoffs with a 42-40 record before losing its opening round series in five games to the Phoenix Suns.
“We could stick with the group as it is today, or we can look to be aggressive and try to get to that next level. Either way, we think we will be a talented team next year.”
Even with disgruntled scoring champion Kobe Bryant, who, some observers claim, is simply being placated by the proposed swap.
Bryant, the league’s top scorer in each of the past two seasons, publicly complained about the team’s dearth of talent, going so far as to demand to be traded last month. Buy cialis online.
But Los Angeles is reluctant to unload him because, as Indiana Pacers president Larry Bird said: “It’s hard to trade the best player in the league. I’m sure the Lakers are doing everything they can to try and mend fences.
“He is such a talent [that] it’s just unfortunate. It’s a little discouraging seeing him trying to get out of there.”
Bryant, 28, has four years and $88.6 million US remaining on the seven-year, $136.4-million US pact he signed with the Lakers on July 15, 2004.
But Los Angeles retains the right to terminate his contract in two years.
Opt-out clause
Garnett, 31, will make $22 million US and $23 million US in the final two years of his contract, but can opt out next season.
That is why Minnesota is entertaining trade proposals, hoping to guarantee itself comparable value in case he bolts.
“Nothing has changed,” Timberwolves vice-president Kevin McHale told reporters last week.
“You always listen. You listen and it doesn’t go very far and it hasn’t gone very far now.”
“What is happening in the last few years is a lot of these so-called superstars — highly paid players — get these extensions, and once they get their extensions, if they’re not going to have a good team, they always want out,” Bird said. “It’s hard to trade a player that makes a third of your cap because other teams cannot take on the salaries. But they demand to be traded — and it puts a lot of pressure on the franchise.”
Garnett, a 10-time all-star, has averaged 20.5 points, 11.4 rebounds, 4.5 assists, 1.7 blocks, 1.4 steals and 38.3 minutes in 927 NBA games, including 890 starts, since being drafted fifth overall out of high school by Minnesota in 1995.
The seven-foot forward is entering the fourth of a five-year, $100-million US contract extension signed Oct. 1, 2003.
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