Sport-Blog.com

By Ed Jennett


If a big trade takes place and no one notices, it still a big trade? In the case of last week's Minnesota and Boston swap, which was overshadowed by the Ron Artest/Peja Stojakovic trade taking place the day before and almost being consummated the day prior to that, the answer is a definitive yes. Wolves GM Kevin McHale and Celtics GM Danny Ainge worked out a seven-player deal on January 26th that was most likely an attempt by both teams to make a run at a playoff spot. There had been trade rumors about both clubs for some time, and there had recently been speculation that the former Boston teammates were about to swap underachieving centers Michael Olowakandi and Mark Blount.

While those players switched sides, the deal turned out to be much bigger. The actual trade was Boston sending SG/SF Ricky Davis, C Mark Blount, PG Marcus Banks, SF/PF Justin Reed, and two conditional second-round draft picks to Minnesota for SG/SF Wally Szczerbiak, C Michael Olowakandi, C Dwayne Jones, and a future first-round draft pick. The Wolves had also traded seldom-used SF/PF Nikoloz Tskitshvili to the Phoenix Suns for a second round pick earlier in the day. Szczerbiak, Olowokandi, and Blount had been involved in trade rumors for most of the season.

There is a lot more to this trade than just two struggling franchises trying to sneak into the playoffs in their respective conferences. Wolves' superstar PF Kevin Garnett supposedly wants to be traded to a contender or the New York Knicks. While New York may be an even bigger mess than Minnesota, KG has stopped feuding with Knicks PG (and former Wolves' teammate) Stephan Marbury. The two have obviously renewed their friendship and have said in the media that they would love to be teammates again, with both saying they'd like the other to be the one relocating. Garnett is clearly being politically correct by pining for Marbury's return to Minnesota. Despite the fact that the Knicks have been a disappointing embarrassment this year, Marbury is from New York and doesn't want to leave. So it's obvious where the duo would like to reunite.

Celtics' All-Star SG/SF Paul Pierce requested a trade this past offseason, but immediately changed his mind and rescinded the request when he found out that the Portland Trail Blazers were one of the teams attempting to acquire him. Pierce recently told the media in Boston that even though he wants to remain a Celtic, he would not be upset if he was traded to a contender. Which is the politically correct way of saying that he would love to be traded? Pierce probably doesn't even have to make these requests and statements because Ainge has been trying to completely tear down the Celtics to rebuild since he was hired. There have also been endless rumors that Ainge wants to trade Pierce. Hopefully Pierce will be lucky enough to avoid the Antoine Walker treatment of getting traded away by Ainge in an awful deal and then brought back by Ainge for a playoff run. Ainge doesn't appear to have any sort of plan (how does a team rebuild by taking on Szczerbiak's grotesque contract?) so that ridiculous scenario is actually possible.

Long-term, it is very difficult to tell who got the better end of this trade. Garnett and/or Pierce could be dealt before the trade deadline. Both teams will have a tough time making the playoffs for the forseeable future, but neither is lousy enough to get a franchise player in the draft.

Short-term, the Wolves appear to have gotten the better end of this trade. Szczerbiak has had a previous All-Star season and is playing great this year, but these accomplishments have taken place while playing with one of the best, and most unselfish, players in the league. It is debatable if Szczerbiak can be as effective paired with Pierce, who is known as a ballhog. While Davis has a reputation as a headcase he has stayed out of trouble in Boston and has played the best basketball of his career. If Davis continues to stay on his best behavior he will most likely be more useful to the Wolves than Szczerbiak is to the Celtics because Davis can score just as many points and is a better defender.

The spare parts of this trade are pretty much a wash. Blount is better than Olowokandi, but Olowakandi is in the final year of his contract while Blount's contract has several years left. The Wolves gave up a first-round pick, but they received two young players and two conditional second-round picks.