The Boston Celtics were involved in a seven player trade with the Minnesota Timberwolves, but after weeks of speculation that Boston’s top man was on his way out of town, Paul Pierce is still a Celtic.
The Celtics have reached agreement tonight on a trade that sends Ricky Davis, Mark Blount, Marcus Banks, Justin Reed and two future second-round draft picks to Minnesota for Wally Szczerbiak, Michael Olowokandi and rookie Dwayne Jones.
I don’t know much about Banks, Reed or Jones, so at first glance this trade seems to be a great deal for the Timberwolves. Sure Ricky Davis once took a shot at his own basket so that he could get a rebound to complete a triple-double (which doesn’t count, by the way), but the guy is having a career year averaging 19.7 ppg, 5.3 apg and 4.5 rpg. Most importantly, his shooting percentage is a solid .464 and the guy can defend shooting guards and small forwards, something Wally has never been able to do. Mark Blount is a better player than the Kandi Man, even if the guy doesn’t board much. But who needs a center who can board when your PF averages 11.3 rebounds a game?
Suddenly the Timberwolves – who are 19-21 and a half game out of the 8th spot in the West – can start a lineup of Jaric, Davis, Hassell, Garnett and Blount. They’ve got a perimeter that can defend and two great scorers in Garnett and Davis. If Blount can provide that inside scoring punch that the Kandi Man couldn’t, this team might be dangerous.
