Kevin Garnett, back in Minnesota

Kevin Garnett, back in Minnesota

Here’s the Minneapolis Star Tribune reporting on Timberwolves activity on the day of the NBA trade deadline:

Kevin Garnett, back in Minnesota

Thursday’s NBA trade deadline came and went … and veterans Kevin Martin, Chase Budinger and Gary Neal all still were present.

The Wolves swapped Thaddeus Young for Kevin Garnett, but made no other moves, meaning Martin is, as coach Flip Saunders, here to stay.

So, too, are Budinger and Neal, or at least until each is possibly bought out in time to sign with a playoff contender by March 1.

Saunders maintained he wouldn’t trade Martin because his scoring ability, veteran sense and efficiency made him too valuable to do so. And he didn’t, even though national reports said he was on the market.

“Flip and I had good laughs about what was being said,” Martin said. “I was pretty certain I wasn’t being traded from talking with him. He just told me I had a better chance getting hit by a car walking across the street.”

Westbrook scores 34, Thunder smack Mavs 104-89

Westbrook scores 34, Thunder smack Mavs 104-89

Here’s the Dallas Morning News reporting on the Mavs, who now have Amar’e Stoudemire to add depth off the bench once they decide to utilize him, which is good, but were treated rudely by the Thunder as the NBA regular season resumed Thursday:

Russell Westbrook scores 34

[The Dallas Mavericks] were manhandled 104-89 by the Oklahoma City Thunder, who had traded away four players earlier in the day, none of whom were named Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook or Serge Ibaka.

That Big Three – and mostly Westbrook and Ibaka – were more than enough to pummel the Mavericks, who looked out of sync in the first game back from injury for Rajon Rondo. They never led and trailed by 20-something much of the night.

Worse, Rondo was glued to the bench for a long stretch in the third and fourth quarters. Clearly, the Mavericks offensively remain an unfinished product. They struggled to get their shooting above 35 percent against the Thunder.

When the Mavericks closed the gap to 10 in the fourth quarter, Westbrook scored eight points and assisted on a Nick Collison bucket to rebuild the lead to 99-83 with 2:24 to go. Westbrook finished with 34 points and 10 assists. Ibaka had 21 points and 22 rebounds.

Steve Blake will change jersey number to honor Jerome Kersey

Steve Blake will change jersey number to honor Jerome Kersey

steve blake

Following the untimely and tragic loss of Trail Blazers legend Jerome Kersey, Portland guard Steve Blake will switch his jersey number to 5, hanging up the No. 25 that Kersey wore for the Trail Blazers from 1984-95.

“Jerome Kersey meant a lot to this team and to this city,” said Blake. “I’ve known Jerome for a long time now and wanted to honor him and his vast contributions both on and off the court. I consider it an honor to wear the number 25, but this just seemed like the right thing to do.”

Blake asked for and received NBA permission to change his jersey number to 5, effective beginning Friday at Utah.

Suns trade Isaiah Thomas to Celtics

Suns trade Isaiah Thomas to Celtics

isaiah thomas

The Boston Celtics announced today that they have acquired guard Isaiah Thomas from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for guard Marcus Thornton and a 2016 first-round draft pick, previously acquired from Cleveland.

Thomas, a 5’9″ guard, has appeared in 46 contests for the Suns this season and is averaging 15.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.0 steal in 25.7 minutes per game. He recorded a season-high 27 points on 11-for-16 shooting from the field, three rebounds and four assists in 28 minutes on January 21 against Portland. During the 2013-14 season, Thomas averaged a career-high 20.3 points to go along with 6.3 assists, 2.9 rebounds and 1.29 steals in 72 games with Sacramento. He was one of six players in the NBA last season to average at least 20 points and six assists, joining LeBron James, Kyrie Irving, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Stephen Curry. Thomas was originally selected by the Sacramento Kings with the 60th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft and is averaging 15.3 points, 2.5 rebounds, 4.6 assists and 1.0 steal in 28.5 minutes per game on his career.

“Isaiah is a dynamic offensive player whose scoring and playmaking abilities add to an already well-rounded backcourt with Marcus Smart and Avery Bradley,” said Danny Ainge, Celtics President of Basketball Operations. “We are excited to welcome Isaiah to the Celtics family.”

The Boston Celtics have also acquired forwards Jonas Jerebko and Luigi Datome from the Detroit Pistons in exchange for forward Tayshaun Prince. As part of this transaction, the Celtics created a $7.7 million trade exception.

Jerebko, a 6’10” forward, has appeared in 46 contests for the Pistons this season and is averaging 5.2 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.0 assist in 15.3 minutes per game. He tallied a season-high 13 points, including shooting a perfect 5-for-5 from the field, and two rebounds in 13 minutes on December 17, 2014 against the Mavericks. Currently in his fifth season, Jerebko is averaging 7.2 points and 4.3 rebounds in 19.9 minute per game. Jerebko was born in Kinna, Sweden and was selected with the 39th overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Pistons.

Datome, a 6’8” forward, has appeared in three contests for the Pistons this season and is averaging 3.7 points and 1.3 rebounds in 5.8 minutes per game over that span. Datome is averaging 2.5 points and 1.4 rebounds in 6.9 minutes per game over his two-year NBA career. Prior to joining Detroit for the 2013-14 season, Datome played professionally in Italy from 2003-13 and in his last season Acea Virtus Roma in 2012-13 he was named the Italian League Most Valuable Player, where he averaged 16.7 points, 5.7 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 45 games.

Three-team trade sends Brandon Knight to Suns, Michael Carter-Williams to Bucks

The Phoenix Suns today completed a deal to acquire guard Brandon Knight from the Milwaukee Bucks in a three-team trade also involving the Philadelphia 76ers. The Suns also acquired guard Kendall Marshall, who will be waived. As part of the deal, the Suns send guard Tyler Ennis and center Miles Plumlee to the Bucks and the Los Angeles Lakers’ protected 2015 first-round pick to the 76ers; the Bucks also receive guard Michael Carter-Williams from Philadelphia.

The 23-year-old Knight is a fourth-year pro who joins the Suns in the midst of a career year, averaging 17.8 points, a career-high 5.4 assists, career-high 4.3 rebounds and career-high 1.6 steals, while shooting career-highs of 43.5 percent from the field and 40.9 percent from three-point range as he has started all 52 games with the Bucks in 2014-15. Knight departs Milwaukee as the leader in scoring and assists for a team that entered the All-Star break seven games over .500 and with 30 first-half victories after winning 15 total games in 2013-14.

Originally the eighth overall pick of the 2011 NBA Draft by Detroit, Knight played the first two seasons of his career with the Pistons before being acquired by the Bucks along with Khris Middleton and Slava Kravtsov in exchange for Brandon Jennings on July 31, 2013. An All-Rookie First-Team selection in 2011-12, Knight holds career averages of 15.3 points, 4.5 assists, 3.5 rebounds and 1.00 steals in 265 games (256 starts) with the Bucks and Pistons.

An athletic 6-3 guard who boasts a nearly 6-7 wingspan, Knight was a collegiate standout in one season at the University of Kentucky in 2010-11. Knight earned All-SEC Second-Team honors after setting Kentucky freshman records in scoring and three-point field goals made. Knight was named the NCAA East Region Most Outstanding Player after helping the Wildcats reach the Final Four for the first time since 1998, ending the longest Final Four drought in the prestigious program’s history.

Philadelphia receives the Lakers’ protected 2015 first-round pick from the Suns in the deal. Phoenix initially acquired the draft pick from the Lakers as part of the sign-and-trade that sent Steve Nash to Los Angeles on July 11, 2012.

Timberwolves sign Lorenzo Brown for remainder of season

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has signed guard Lorenzo Brown for the remainder of the season.

Brown, 24, has appeared in five games (one start) with Minnesota, averaging 3.2 points, 3.0 assists and 2.0 rebounds in 19.6 minutes per game. He played a career-high 47:55 against Cleveland on Jan. 31, dishing out a career-high nine assists.

Originally drafted by Minnesota with the 52nd pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, Brown appeared in three preseason games before being waived on October 25, 2013. He signed with Philadelphia a month later, averaging 2.5 points and 1.6 assists in 8.6 minutes over 26 games.

Brown started this season in the NBA D-League, playing in 19 games (17 starts) with the Grand Rapids Drive and averaging 16.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.9 assists per game. In his career, Brown has appeared in 39 games (31 starts) in the D-League and holds career averages of 17.1 points, 5.1 assists and 4.8 rebounds in 31.5 minutes per game.

Rockets trade Alexey Shved to Knicks for Pablo Prigioni

New York Knicks President Phil Jackson announced today that the team has acquired guard Alexey Shved and second round draft picks in 2017 and 2019 from the Houston Rockets in exchange for guard Pablo Prigioni.

Shved, 6-6, 190-pounds, averaged 7.6 points and 1.9 assists over 13.2 minutes in 26 games with Philadelphia and Houston this season. He holds career averages of 6.7 points and 2.4 assists over 17.2 minutes in 166 games over three seasons with the Minnesota Timberwolves, 76ers and Rockets. The Belgorod, Russia-native originally signed with Minnesota on Jul. 25, 2012 after playing six seasons professionally in Russia.

Prigioni, 6-3, 185-pounds, averaged 4.7 points and 2.4 assists over 18.5 minutes in 43 games this season. He originally signed with the Knicks as a free agent on Jul. 24, 2012 and averaged 3.9 points and 3.0 assists over 17.9 minutes in 187 career games, over three seasons, with the team.

Celtics trade Tayshaun Prince to Pistons

The Detroit Pistons announced today that the team has acquired forward Tayshaun Prince from the Boston Celtics in exchange for forwards Jonas Jerebko and Gigi Datome.

“Tayshaun Prince is certainly well known to fans in Detroit and we’re pleased to welcome him back,” said Stan Van Gundy, Head Coach and President of Basketball Operations for the Detroit Pistons.  “He fills a position of need for us at small forward with his offensive and defensive versatility.  We thank both Jonas and Gigi for their hard work and wish them well going forward.”

Drafted 23rd overall by Detroit in the 2002 NBA Draft, Prince spent the first 10-plus seasons of his career with the Pistons where he averaged 12.8 points, 4.7 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 769 games (730 starts).  He averaged a career-high 14.7 points during the 2004-05 season and scored 1,000-plus points in a season six times.  The 6-foot-9 forward ranks fifth all-time in franchise history in games played (769), eighth in points scored (9,838), 10th in assists (2,036), fifth in 3-point field goals made (499) and seventh in blocks (440).  A member of the Pistons’ 2003-04 NBA Championship team, Prince was also a member of the USA Senior National Team that went 8-0 to win the gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

Prince was traded, along with Austin Daye, to the Memphis Grizzlies in exchange for Jose Calderon on January 30, 2013 and then traded to the Boston Celtics on January 12, 2015.  Overall, Prince has averaged 11.9 points, 4.5 rebounds, 2.5 assists and 0.6 steals in 917 career NBA games.  In 140 playoff games (118 with Detroit), he’s averaged 11.4 points, 5.2 rebounds and 2.6 assists.

Jerebko was the 39th overall pick by the Pistons in the 2009 NBA Draft.  In 303 career games, he averaged 7.2 points, 4.3 rebounds and 0.7 assists.  As a rookie, he averaged career highs in points (9.3 ppg), rebounds (6.0 rpg) and steals (1.0 spg) along with 0.7 assists per game during the 2009-10 season.

Datome signed with the Pistons as a free agent on July 15, 2013.  In two seasons, he saw action in 37 games where he averaged 2.5 points, 1.4 rebounds and 0.4 assists.

Nets trade Kevin Garnett to Timberwolves for Thaddeus Young

The Minnesota Timberwolves today announced the team has acquired forward Kevin Garnett from Brooklyn in exchange for forward Thaddeus Young.

“We are excited to have Kevin Garnett back in Minnesota and playing for the Timberwolves,” said Timberwolves head coach Flip Saunders. “When people think of the Timberwolves they think of KG. He had some great years for us and our organization and fans really respect what he’s done here in Minnesota and throughout his NBA career. KG will bring his usual strong work ethic and leadership and be a positive influence for our young team.”

“It means a lot to me to have Kevin Garnett back on our team,” said Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor. “I have great respect for Kevin as a person and a player. He was the first player we drafted after I bought the team and we got to see him develop into one of the best players in the world. Like our fans, I’m excited to be able to watch Kevin in a Timberwolves uniform once again.”

Originally drafted by Minnesota with the 5th overall pick of the 1995 NBA Draft, Garnett spent the first 12 seasons of his career with the Timberwolves and led the team to eight consecutive playoff appearances from 1996-97 to 2003-04, including a Western Conference Finals appearance in 2003-04. He was named the NBA MVP in 2003-04 after leading the Timberwolves to a Western Conference-best 58-24 record and No. 1 seed while averaging career-highs in points (24.2 ppg), rebounds (13.9 rpg) and blocks (2.2 bpg). Garnett still ranks as the franchise leader in nearly every major category, including games played (927), minutes (35,535), points (19,041), rebounds (10,542), assists (4,146), blocks (1,576), steals (1,282) and field goals (7,575).

Garnett was traded to Boston on July 31, 2007, where he went on to win his first and only NBA championship in 2007-08. Garnett averaged 20.4 points and 10.5 rebounds in the postseason during Boston’s championship run, anchoring the Celtics defense. He spent six seasons with Boston before being acquired by the Nets on July 12, 2013.

A 15-time All-Star and the 2007-08 Defensive Player of the Year, Garnett ranks first amongst active NBA players in both minutes (49,764) and rebounds (14,486) while ranking third in points (25,911). He needs just 236 more minutes to become just the fifth player in NBA history to accumulate over 50,000 career minutes. Garnett has averaged 18.3 points and 10.2 rebounds in 35.1 minutes per game over 1419 career contests, including averages of 18.2 points and 10.7 rebounds in 36.9 minutes per game over 143 career playoff appearances.

Young, 26, averaged 14.3 points and 5.1 rebounds in 48 games with Minnesota this season. He was the Wolves’ leading scorer eight times, including scoring a season-high 29 points at Washington on Dec. 16. Originally acquired by the Wolves in a three-team trade on Aug. 23, Young holds career averages of 13.8 points and 5.5 rebounds in 564 career games between Minnesota and Philadelphia.

Three-team trade sends Goran Dragic to Heat

The Phoenix Suns today completed a deal to acquire two future first-round draft picks from the Miami Heat. The Suns also received forward/guard Danny Granger from Miami and forward John Salmons, who will be waived, from the New Orleans Pelicans in the three-team trade. As part of the deal, the Suns send guards Goran Dragic and Zoran Dragic to the Heat and the Pelicans receive guard Norris Cole, center Justin Hamilton and forward Shawne Williams from Miami.

The Suns received Miami’s 2017 first-round pick (protected to seven) and Miami’s unprotected 2021 first-round pick as part of the deal.

The Suns also received Granger, a 10th-year veteran and former All-Star, from the Heat. Granger has averaged 6.3 points and 20.4 minutes in 31 games with the Heat this season. The 6-9 wing out of the University of New Mexico holds career averages of 16.8 points, 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists in 586 games with the Indiana Pacers (2005-14), Los Angeles Clippers (2013-14) and Miami (2014-15). Granger averaged a career-best 25.8 points with the Pacers during his All-Star season of 2008-09 and has averaged at least 18 points five times in his career.