Wednesday, August 1, 2007

Starting Over

Kevin Garnett came to the NBA Minnesota Timberwolves straight out of high school 12 years ago and made a direct impact on his team, the league and the fans. He led the NBA in scoring several times and won the league MVP one year. With him, the Wolves made the playoffs a few times, peaking with the 2004 Western Conference finals, in which they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers.

Wolves management rewarded Garnett with one of the biggest contracts in sports history, and therein lies the problem. With so much money being tied up in one player, the team had to settle for second-rate talent and draft choices that didn't always work out.

The team hasn't made the playoffs in three seasons, but Garnett managed to rise above his mediocre supporting players and became the only reason to watch the Wolves. It must not have been easy for him.

Now Garnett takes his act to the Boston Celtics, ending months of speculation about whether the Wolves should trade him or not. Coming to Minnesota are Gerald Green, Al Jefferson, Theo Ratliff, Sebastian Telfair and two first-round draft picks.

Maybe the Wolves should change their name to the Minnesota Crickets. Not so much as a tribute to Buddy Holly, but more like the sound emanating from Target Center for the next few years.

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