http://www.latimes.com/sports/baske...eadlines-sports-nba-lakers&ctrack=1&cset=true
Lakers in trade talks to get Garnett
Trade discussions involve sending Odom and Bynum for the Timberwolves star in a possible four-team deal. Bryant is not part of the possible trade.
By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
12:00 PM PDT, June 25, 2007
The owners of the Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves have begun talks for a trade that would involve sending Kevin Garnett to the Lakers, league sources said Monday.
A multi-team trade discussion is underway involving the Lakers, Indiana, Minnesota and possibly a fourth team, with the Lakers getting Garnett and the Pacers getting Lamar Odom and teenage center Andrew Bynum from the Lakers. Another minor player will likely be added to make the deal work financially.
Jerry Buss and Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor spoke by phone for 20 minutes Friday. Buss reportedly ended the conversation by suggesting that Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak and Timberwolves vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale would continue the discussion Monday.
Such a move could address the concerns of Kobe Bryant, who has demanded to be traded for more than four weeks.
Bryant met with Kupchak for about an hour Friday, a day after Garnett rejected a trade that would have sent him to Boston.
Bryant did not step down from his desire to be traded. However, Kupchak, Buss and Lakers Coach Phil Jackson met later that day to discuss options based on the assumption they would still have Bryant, The Times has learned.
Garnett, 31, has never formally asked for a trade while signaling his distress in recent years as the Timberwolves fell from top-notch status. The No. 1-seeded team in the Western Conference in 2004, they lost to the Lakers in the West finals and haven't made the playoffs since then.
The Timberwolves finished 33-49 in 2005-06 and 32-50 last season, tied for 12th in the West with Portland.
Garnett can opt out of his contract after next season. He wants an extension, which Buss reportedly told Taylor he was willing to offer. Garnett is due to earn $22 million next season and $23 million in 2008-09, the last year of his contract.
Garnett, a 10-time All-Star, averaged 22.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.7 blocked shots last season while showing few signs of slowing down, other than spending the last five games of the season in Los Angeles — he has a home in Malibu — to rest a sore right quadriceps.
Bynum, 19, started his second NBA season with a flurry, including a memorable game against Minnesota in which he had 20 points,14 rebounds and three blocked shots last November.
But Bynum struggled during the second half of the season and finished with averages of 7.8 points and 5.9 rebounds a game. The Lakers have been criticized by Bryant for not trading Bynum at the February trade deadline in order to get Jason Kidd from New Jersey.
Odom, 27, was acquired three years ago as part of the trade that sent Shaquille O'Neal to Miami.
He averaged 15.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists last season and missed 26 games because of knee and shoulder injuries. He had a torn labrum in his left shoulder repaired last month and is expected to return in time for training camp in October.
mike.bresnahan@latimes.com
Lakers in trade talks to get Garnett
Trade discussions involve sending Odom and Bynum for the Timberwolves star in a possible four-team deal. Bryant is not part of the possible trade.
By Mike Bresnahan, Times Staff Writer
12:00 PM PDT, June 25, 2007
The owners of the Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves have begun talks for a trade that would involve sending Kevin Garnett to the Lakers, league sources said Monday.
A multi-team trade discussion is underway involving the Lakers, Indiana, Minnesota and possibly a fourth team, with the Lakers getting Garnett and the Pacers getting Lamar Odom and teenage center Andrew Bynum from the Lakers. Another minor player will likely be added to make the deal work financially.
Jerry Buss and Timberwolves owner Glen Taylor spoke by phone for 20 minutes Friday. Buss reportedly ended the conversation by suggesting that Lakers General Manager Mitch Kupchak and Timberwolves vice president of basketball operations Kevin McHale would continue the discussion Monday.
Such a move could address the concerns of Kobe Bryant, who has demanded to be traded for more than four weeks.
Bryant met with Kupchak for about an hour Friday, a day after Garnett rejected a trade that would have sent him to Boston.
Bryant did not step down from his desire to be traded. However, Kupchak, Buss and Lakers Coach Phil Jackson met later that day to discuss options based on the assumption they would still have Bryant, The Times has learned.
Garnett, 31, has never formally asked for a trade while signaling his distress in recent years as the Timberwolves fell from top-notch status. The No. 1-seeded team in the Western Conference in 2004, they lost to the Lakers in the West finals and haven't made the playoffs since then.
The Timberwolves finished 33-49 in 2005-06 and 32-50 last season, tied for 12th in the West with Portland.
Garnett can opt out of his contract after next season. He wants an extension, which Buss reportedly told Taylor he was willing to offer. Garnett is due to earn $22 million next season and $23 million in 2008-09, the last year of his contract.
Garnett, a 10-time All-Star, averaged 22.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, 4.1 assists and 1.7 blocked shots last season while showing few signs of slowing down, other than spending the last five games of the season in Los Angeles — he has a home in Malibu — to rest a sore right quadriceps.
Bynum, 19, started his second NBA season with a flurry, including a memorable game against Minnesota in which he had 20 points,14 rebounds and three blocked shots last November.
But Bynum struggled during the second half of the season and finished with averages of 7.8 points and 5.9 rebounds a game. The Lakers have been criticized by Bryant for not trading Bynum at the February trade deadline in order to get Jason Kidd from New Jersey.
Odom, 27, was acquired three years ago as part of the trade that sent Shaquille O'Neal to Miami.
He averaged 15.9 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.8 assists last season and missed 26 games because of knee and shoulder injuries. He had a torn labrum in his left shoulder repaired last month and is expected to return in time for training camp in October.
mike.bresnahan@latimes.com
