What if the Timberwolves had never traded Kevin Garnett?
What might have happened if Kevin Garnett had never been traded away from the Timberwolves?
July 31st, 2007: the day in which Kevin Garnett‘s first go-round with the Minnesota Timberwolves came to an end. On that day, Garnett was dealt to the Boston Celtics in a blockbuster trade which preceded the seasons during which Garnett would win his only title in his 22-year career.
Garnett was the fifth-overall pick in the 1995 NBA Draft and led the Wolves to their only Western Conference Finals appearance in 2004. However, after that year, the Wolves slowly declined. As a result, they traded the franchise’s best player to the contending Celtics.
As we approach the 10-year anniversary of the trade, I want to look back and think what would happen if the Wolves had never traded Garnett. Could they have eventually rebuilt a contending team around him? Even if they could not have won a title, would the Wolves have had at least one playoff appearance since 2004?
After the 58-win season in 2004 in which they went to the Western Conference Finals, the Wolves won 44 games in 2005, 33 in 2006, and 32 in 2007. When Garnett was traded, he signed a three-year, $51.3 million contract. Assuming he was never traded and had signed the same deal, there is a chance the Wolves could have landed a big free agent to pair up with Garnett.
Also, two-time national champion Corey Brewer was drafted seventh-overall in that year’s draft to add a prospect with great tools. He would not quite pan out as Wolves had hoped and not much else was on the roster to help. The Wolves were thirteenth in the league in payroll for the upcoming season and could take shots at big names to help. Take a look at the list of free agents for the summer of 2007.
You could see Garnett being paired up with Vince Carter to add athleticism if they could have found a way to match the Nets price of $60 million. If not, I’m sure Garnett would not have minded the likes of guard Chauncey Billups if they could have pried him from the Pistons. If not, the Wolves would still have been in for a rough ’08 season.
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The Wolves won a dismal 22 games in 2008 without Garnett. If they kept him and could not sign anyone to help I don’t see many more wins coming their way. He was great, although he was not a one-man wrecking crew.
In that case, the Wolves would still be able to draft O.J. Mayo and trade for Kevin Love (or just draft Love straight-up) in the 2008 draft to pair up with Garnett down low. Love’s shot as a power forward would have been a nice addition to Garnett’s. Love also had the ability to be just as great of a rebounder. Love added some wins on his own as a rookie, however, I believe the Wolves would still be in the running to draft Ricky Rubio (or Steph Curry) in 2009.
Garnett would still have needed to be extended at the end of the 2010 season. Free agent signings at this point would seem unlikely unless for a bargain.
Since Ricky did not come right to the NBA right away, he was 21 years old by the time he arrived in 2012. By this time Garnett was 35 years old but still playing well. With Rubio, Love, possibly Steph and a rising Pekovic, the Wolves would have made the playoffs in 2013.
That year they only won 31 games, but with all this talent I see them winning 42 games or so and contending for the seven or eight seed.
The Wolves were legit contenders in 2014 when they won 40 games in a very tough Western Conference. If the roster stood as predicted by me, the Wolves, led by 37-year-old Garnett would finish around the 50 to 55 win mark and get a four or five seed.
You have to figure in all the progression of Love, Rubio, Curry, and hope that Pekovic stayed healthy. Those four with Garnett would be capable that year to advance to the conference semi-finals, where they would most likely lose to the top-seeded Spurs or second-seeded Thunder.
Wiggins would have never been traded for with Love being on a contending team. Towns would never be drafted because of the Wolves success. Even with Garnett aging and a roster with Curry and Love, the Wolves would not have enough to win a title keeping Garnett.
I think the fact that the Wolves would have been able to get into the postseason at some point in Garnett’s career after 2004 is a big win. In reality, we are still waiting for the Wolves to find a way into the playoffs.
Next: Kevin Love Did The Wolves A Favor By Asking Out
In my mind, if Kevin Garnett was never dealt to the Celtics his personal resume would exclude a finals ring. Yes, he would have taken the Wolves to the playoffs a few times toward the end of his career, but Garnett would never have been able to win a title with the Wolves by the end of his career.