<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">The Timberwolves trotted out a lineup Sunday that didn't include Kevin Garnett. It might have been a glimpse into the franchise's future. Team officials and Garnett have spent much of the season shooting down waves of trade speculation. Still, it's conceivable to think the Big Ticket, thirsting for his first NBA championship, might not be here much longer. The Wolves are struggling, and Garnett is getting older and frustrated. There are compelling arguments both for why the Wolves should keep Garnett and why it might be best for the team and its best player to part ways. Garnett's 11th season in Minnesota will grind to a merciful conclusion next week. One month later, Garnett, the former high school prodigy once known as Da Kid, will turn 30. The Wolves are 13 games under .500 and out of the playoff picture for the second consecutive season. Only once has Garnett managed to push the franchise past the first round. That was two seasons ago, the high-water mark in team history that now seems so long ago. Garnett said recently that he did not want to go through more rebuilding and called for Wolves owner Glen Taylor to make personnel improvements this offseason. "I don't know any fans that like to come and watch a team lose," Garnett said. The Wolves are 13-24 since a multiplayer trade with Boston in January. That doesn't provide much hope for the future, and it raises questions about Garnett's status. "Right now with the roster as it exists, they're nowhere near contending," ESPN analyst Greg Anthony said of the Wolves. "They're not even contending for the playoffs. That's going to be a tough pill to swallow for (Garnett). When you look up and you're now 30, and you don't see the team contending, it's hard. It's going to be a big dilemma for Kevin and those guys in what direction they go in." With the team developing young talent, Garnett was held out Sunday and did not join the team for a three-game road trip this week, which starts tonight at Memphis. Only two more games remain after that, so have fans seen Garnett in a Wolves uniform for the last time? "The word trade has never even come up," coach Dwane Casey said. "That's not even been discussed with me, with (owner) Glen (Taylor) or with (team vice president) Kevin (McHale), with anybody. That's not even a part of the equation whatsoever. Our main thing is developing and giving these young guys minutes." Taylor and McHale declined interview requests for this story. Andy Miller, Garnett's agent, declined to discuss Garnett's situation Monday, saying he hadn't spoken to him in several days and didn't want to give out misleading information. Taylor said less than two weeks ago that he couldn't envision trading Garnett. "Now, being involved in the business, and you say, 'Absolutely?' I can't say that," Taylor said. "But standing here, I don't see a possibility that makes sense for the team to do that." Maybe Taylor was leaving some hedge room, should the Wolves come across an enticing offer. NBA teams can resume making trades as soon as their respective seasons end. CLOCK TICKING? The argument could be made that if the Wolves are going to trade Garnett, they should do it before next season starts. His value probably will never be higher, given that he's not getting any younger. And the Wolves should feel a sense of urgency because they could be losing ground in a Western Conference loaded with young teams. If Garnett goes on the market, teams would line up to acquire him. Garnett is averaging 21.8 points and is leading the NBA in rebounding average (12.7) while shooting a career-best 52.6 percent from the field. A nine-time all-star and the league's most valuable player in 2003-04, he still commands respect. "Those are conversations (that are) personal," Denver Nuggets coach George Karl said. "Does K.G. want to be there? What commitment is there? "If I was an owner or a coach, I probably would die with K.G. because I love him that much as a player. His commitment to playing the game the right way for so many years has been incredible. I don't know if there's been a professional intensity for that long by a player that I think's a top-five player in basketball. I think he plays as hard or harder than anybody in the game of basketball ? focused, disciplined, demanding. He just hasn't been rewarded with playoff success." Garnett is in the second year of a five-year, $100 million deal. His salary makes rebuilding around him difficult because with his money on the books, the Wolves are almost guaranteed to be over the salary cap ($49.5 this season) for the remainder of his deal. That limits the types of moves the organization can make to bolster the lineup. After last season, Taylor said he wanted to reduce the team's payroll. But after signing a few role players in addition to acquiring Marko Jaric from the Los Angeles Clippers, the Wolves got off to a sluggish start and then felt forced into making the big deal at midseason with the Boston Celtics. The moves haven't worked so far. The Wolves haven't been successful in attracting and keeping marquee free agents, despite Garnett's presence. Any rebuilding efforts would start in earnest by trading Garnett. The combined salaries of any players received in return would have to come within the ballpark of Garnett's salary to make the trade work under NBA rules. His salary ? one of the richest in the NBA ? certainly complicates any trade but doesn't render it impossible. Two years ago, the Los Angeles Lakers traded Shaquille O'Neal and his monster contract to the Miami Heat. If the Wolves decide to trade Garnett, they likely would have to pick from the best of some underwhelming offers. "If you're going to trade a guy of that caliber, you're not going to get the same caliber of talent in return," Anthony said. The Lakers, for example, received only Lamar Odom, Brian Grant, Caron Butler, a first-round pick and a second-round pick in exchange for O'Neal, one of the most dominant players in NBA history. If other NBA teams sense that the Wolves will be forced to trade Garnett, especially if he demands out, that would sap much of the club's bargaining power. Where might Garnett go if the team decides to cut ties? The Lakers, Golden State Warriors, New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls are among the teams reportedly interested. The Lakers are an obvious possibility because Garnett owns a home in Malibu, Calif., and spends his summers there. He would seem to make the Lakers instant contenders in the Western Conference if paired with Kobe Bryant. But if the Wolves don't receive Bryant in return ? and there's no chance of that happening ? then who on the Lakers' roster is appealing enough to pull the trigger? Odom almost certainly would have to be included because his $12.4 million salary next year would be a necessary component. Odom, center Chris Mihm and point guard Smush Parker, plus the Lakers' first-round draft pick this season, might be a start. The Warriors will have a lottery pick this summer they can add to a package that could include guard Jason Richardson and forward Troy Murphy. As for New York, reports surfaced this season about Knicks boss Isaiah Thomas' plan to make a run at Garnett. The Knicks are stocked with bad contracts, and whether the Wolves would want to take on any of those is doubtful. Still, the Knicks could offer guard Steve Francis and promising forward Channing Frye. That would reunite Garnett and Stephon Marbury. The Bulls have two high first-round picks this summer, including what figures to be the No. 1 overall selection, and plenty of young, talented players. What about big man Tyson Chandler, swingman Luol Deng and guard Ben Gordon?</div> Source
