Garnett Needs a “New” Jersey

Kevin McHale, if you somehow stumble upon this, take heed. Trade Kevin Garnett. Trade him now and rebuild in Minnesota.

Garnett has poured his heart and soul into Minnesota basketball, virtually carrying the franchise on his shoulders for the last decade. He will always be loved and revered in the land of 10,000 lakes, but it's time for him to be sent to a contender in the best interest of his career and the T-Wolves organization.

The question then becomes, "Where?" I've got a nice solution that isn't at all affected by my geographical location ... okay, it is somewhat. But I say there'd be no better destination for the "Big Ticket" than right outside the "Big Apple" in the swamps of New Jersey.

For years, subliminal rumors have floated around area newspapers about the Nets' lust for KG. Ever since the departure of Kenyon Martin — who not signing to a max contract may not be such a bad idea after all — the Nets have Nenad, I mean "needed," a powerful post presence. Garnett is the ultimate power forward outside of San Antonio and imagine what a combo of Jason Kidd, Garnett, Vince Carter, and possibly Richard Jefferson could mean.

Now if any trade was to go down, the Nets would most likely have to move Carter or Jefferson. But with both being able to play the two and three positions, losing one may not be as damaging to this team as it would another. There would also need to be first round picks, which the Nets have thanks to the Los Angeles Clippers and if McHale were smart, he would want a budding talent, as well. So trade Nenad Krstic, too. The kid has tons of potential, but we're talking about MVP, Hall of Fame, a top-10 power forward of all-time here.

Let's look over the trade, Garnett for Richard Jefferson, Nenad Krstic, and two first-round picks. Seems not too shabby. The Nets would have arguably the best triad in the NBA with Garnett, Kidd, and Carter that could finally pose a solid threat to Detroit and Miami. Though their bench may be thin, they have solid role players who can fill the same role when it was basically only Kidd, Jefferson, and Martin a few years ago. It would also hopefully allow recent additions like Marc Jackson and Jeff McInnis to play a bigger role in Lawrence Frank's grand scheme. Minnesota, on the other hand, would get younger and more athletic, adding the recent acquisition of Ricky Davis.

It seems as Minny has already begun the rebuilding process, getting rid of Wally World and The Candy Man. The first bell has been rung and now it's time for McHale to make the next obvious move.

Jason Kidd's prime playing days are dwindling and we can never know how healthy or determined, for that matter, V.C. will stay. The chance is now for Rod Thorn to make a devastating power play on the NBA. If not, this team stays a perennial second-round playoff exit, wasting the talents of Kidd, Carter, and Jefferson. Adding Garnett would propel the Nets from pretender to immediate contender and hopefully end for tabloid back page covers of Isiah's scandals and Larry Brown's blunders.

All right, so maybe it is all just a pipe dream. But one that I'm sure would shake the foundations of the basketball world. It's almost trade deadline time and the hot stove is heating up. The K.G. rumors will float around every major market from here until the end of February, but there's one location that at least one person right here would love to see him in, and that's sporting No. 21 in the navy, red, and silver of the Nets.