. . . I think I was the only person suggesting last week a Garnett to the Lakers trade for Bynum, Odom and toss ins, but apparently there's serious discussions going on to make this happen.
This trade works for both teams. The Wolves get young talent and cap space to go after Gilbert Arenas or any of the other big free agents out there in 2008 (which might be the best Free Agent class in awhile). If the Lakers can make other trades to secure a higher draft pick to sweeten the deal, they'll get another solid young body that could make the 'Wolves one of the teams to beat just as the Suns, Spurs, and Mavs start getting too old. Trying to get better next year isn't going to happen in Minnesota, and they'll get nothing for Garnett after another losing season, but being solid in 2009 and beyond when everyone else begins falling apart seems like a sensible goal. Minnesota needs to trade Garnett now while they can get value, and the Lakers need a legit All-Star (who doesn't overlap his skill set the way Odom does) to pair with Kobe to keep him happy.
As for the Lakers, they have an immediate problem, and Garnett fixes that problem, even if they have to give up some good young talent to get him. Kobe and Garnett would have a much more complimentary game together than Kobe had with Bynum and Odom. Find teams that want expiring contracts to dump Cook, Radmanivic, Brown and McKie and keep Walton, Farmar, Turiaf, Mihm and Evans, and pull in a few solid but cheap veterans in a Brian Shaw, Eric Snow like capacity, and you've got yourself a team.
Kobe, Walton, Farmar, Garnett, and Mihm would make an outstanding starting five (assuming Mihm gets back to 100% after a one year layoff). With a veteran or two off the bench (somehow they might convince Horry to comeback to LA instead of going to Houston as expected) and high energy young players like Turiaf still around, the Lakers could instantly keep Kobe happy, maybe even challenge for the title, even in the stacked Western Conference.
At the very least Garnett and Kobe would get to see the 2nd round of the playoffs for the next three or four years together, something neither has done since 2004 (when the Lakers beat the 'Wolves in the Western Conference Finals).
They better get this done before the draft on Thursday, though, somehow getting a top 12 pick (or two top 20) to Minnesota is the only way this is going to work.
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