Timberwolves talking three-way Garnett deal
By Adrian Wojnarowski (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/expertsarchive;_ylt=Au1VIJclJb.g29xb_tU9m.zTjdIF?a uthor=Adrian+Wojnarowski), Yahoo! Sports

June 27, 2007 http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/sp/p/yse_lo_70x24_2.gif (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/sports/yhoo/nba/article/SIG=11daaeced;_ylt=AoJjamRv5DfNrwmZBAsz7PTTjdIF/*http%3A//sports.yahoo.com/top/expertscorner)

NEW YORK – Minnesota Timberwolves (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/min/;_ylt=AumgdzJAoLMEAW0.kApwqEfTjdIF) forward Kevin Garnett (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3007/;_ylt=Aj1YDAOcSRrR.VBMiX1QQmLTjdIF) is close to going to the Phoenix Suns (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/pho/;_ylt=Akq9b1qVj4oGo6mHOKG3LezTjdIF) in a monumental three-way trade that would send Phoenix forward Amare Stoudemire (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3607/;_ylt=AiQBISGOiNHFtjSrS.Donv_TjdIF) to the Atlanta Hawks (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/teams/atl/;_ylt=AtW33RyrSZJC4Cq_R80c.XDTjdIF), league sources said Wednesday.

Atlanta would move the Nos. 3 and 11 picks in Thursday's draft, as well as Zaza Pachulia (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3745/;_ylt=Aqk0K2zQA6vpbJc92CvrDp3TjdIF) and Anthony Johnson (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3207/;_ylt=AiNYkq1NNJQK3tEQXSxhplrTjdIF), to Minnesota.

Minnesota owner Glen Taylor has delivered a mandate to his basketball executives to get a deal done, one league executive said.

Yahoo! Sports has learned that the trade would also save the Hawks from an emerging showdown between the front office and coaching staff over whom to draft with the third pick. The front office and coaching staff had settled on Florida power forward Al Horford, but a faction of the Atlanta Spirit ownership group, with business interests in China, is pushing them to take Yi Jianlian.


The deal hinges on Atlanta general manager Billy Knight saying yes, as well as Hawks ownership, which is mired in lawsuits, being willing to increase payroll. It is believed that star Hawks guard Joe Johnson (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/players/3520/;_ylt=AorR.vPdbGghz1xGIzRtr4jTjdIF) talked to his former Suns teammate on Wednesday and that the 24-year-old Stoudemire, a first-team All-NBA choice, told him that he'd welcome the trade.

Adrian Wojnarowski is the national NBA columnist for Yahoo! Sports. Send Adrian a question or comment (http://sports.yahoo.com/top/feedback;_ylt=AqnhHaPUgldQcGhqsoewwQvTjdIF?author= Adrian+Wojnarowski) for potential use in a future column or webcast.Timberwolves talking three-way Garnett deal - NBA - Yahoo! Sports (http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AoIHMS9AKt2yUu3h7JH5W1k5nYcB?slug=aw-nbadraft062707&prov=yhoo&type=lgns)



This would be a good trade for MN and a pretty good one for Atlanta and a dud for Phoenix.

Amare is certainly an amazing player, but I think the System and Steve Nash make him much better. Garnett might be a monster in Phoenix, and he gives them a much needed defensive presence.

Kevin Garnett running and gunning? I'll believe it when I see it.

reportedly vetoed by Hawks owner at realgm.com

Take away Amare and add Garnett. Does that really make the Suns better? Will they be able to surpass the Spurs?

I think not.

Looks like the Hawks have been down this road before and very recently indeed of trading away draft choices.

Belkin was forced out of the ownership group following a bitter and public dispute over the Hawks' decision to trade Boris Diaw, two first-round draft picks and a $4.9 million trade exception to the Phoenix Suns for Joe Johnson.Judge rules Belkin can buy out ownership group - Boston.com (http://www.boston.com/sports/basketball/articles/2006/06/09/judge_rules_belkin_can_buy_out_ownership_group/)

:hoops: