Kevin Garnett to the Celtics

Kevin Garnett is coming to the Celtics and I'm very happy about it. This trade is almost the definition of the five nickels for a quarter type trade (although with Al Jefferson included in the deal - it is more like one dime and four nickels for a quarter).

Garnett is a Hall of Fame player. Yes he's at the tail-end of his career but that's OK because he's still one of the five best in the game. In the NBA a quarter always has way more value than the five nickels.

The key for Minnesota is Al Jefferson who as a 22-year old averaged 16 PPG and 11 RPG. When KG was 22-years old he averaged 20 and 10. I think those numbers give false impressions though because this year garbage time started in Celtics games during the first quarter. Jefferson will be an excellent player in the NBA but he will never be Kevin Garnett.

OK - that's the dime - what about the nickels? Theo Ratliff was thrown in because of his expiring contract. Gerald Green probably will never be a starter for a playoff contending team. I think Danny Ainge made McHale take Sebastian Telfair off the Celtics hands as part of the trade. The only player I'm not real happy about giving up (besides Jefferson of course) is Ryan Gomes. I think Gomes is a solid contributor. However, I think the Celtics must feel that his numbers can be made up by rookie Glen "Big Baby" Davis.

Five nickels for a quarter. You always give up the nickels to get the quarter.