The Minnesota Timberwolves have to trade Kevin Garnett. And the Timberwolves have to do this soon. Garnett is thirty one and has an opportunity, in his contract, to opt out next summer. If the Timberwolves leave the situation until then, they run the risk of losing Garnett, with nothing in return. It is unlikely that Garnett would want to return to the Minnesota franchise. He has never contended for the NBA championship and Garnett knows that his chances of going to the championship round with the Timberwolves is negligible. Garnett has proven his loyalty to the Timberwolves. He has remained with the team, while they failed to build a championship team around him.

Time is running out for Kevin Garnett - and he knows it. Garnett will look for a chance for a championship.

Supposedly, Garnett vetoed a trade to Boston. The Celtics have less of a chance at the NBA championship than Minnesota. Boston’s recent record has been abysmal and Garnett knows that it would be swapping a bad situation for a worse one, if he were to go to Boston. Phoenix might be a possible destination.

Phoenix could trade Amare Stoudemire for Kevin Garnett. Minnesota would receive an all star player back. Phoenix would receive back a player who could defend Tim Duncan. Garnett knows that, with Phoenix, he has an immediate chance at a championship run, with an elite team. The trade might be mutually beneficial to both teams.

Bill Simmons speculated on such a trade in his May 30, 2007 column. Bill has a fantasy of a Suns starting lineup of Nash, Bell, Diaw, Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant. It would be fun to watch but everyone knows that Kobe is not going to be traded to the Suns. For one thing, the Lakers would not send Kobe to a team in their own division. The Lakers know that Kobe would make life miserable for them. And the second major reason is that the Suns management cannot risk Steve Nash’s health. Nash would pass to Kobe; and Kobe would dribble, dribble, dribble and, as the shot clock was running down, shoot a jump shot. By the third game, Steve Nash’s head would explode. Suns management needs to keep Nash healthy.

The Kevin Garnett trade could mean that the Suns could move by the Spurs. Besides, the Spurs do not win consecutive championships - at least not yet. That’s another omen for Kevin Garnett to consider.

Catherine Forsythe

Tags: kevin garnett, minnesota timberwolves, nba, championship, phoenix suns, kobe bryant, steve nash, spurs, lakers