Big Ticket Item

Normally, we’re not in the business of talking about other team’s trades on this site, but the Kevin Garnett-to-Boston deal is one that will have a profound effect on the Eastern Conference and, of course, the reigning Champions of said Conference.

Six weeks ago, the Celtics were a talented young team whose GM and Head Coach were hanging tenuously to their jobs as the once-proud franchise was teetering on the verge of irrelevance. They were one of the weaker teams in a weaker conference.

Everyone knew that Kevin Garnett was going to play the 2007-08 season in a uniform other than Minnesota’s.

Phoenix emerged early, but it was unlikely that Kevin McHale would send his superstar somewhere where he could return to thump the Wolves four times per year. Chicago was a team with enough parts to get the deal done, but the Bulls reportedly were hesitant to add Luol Deng to the mix.

So the Celtics – another team loaded with young talent – stepped up to the plate, and a slightly nepotistic deal was struck between former C’s, McHale and Danny Ainge, to bring Garnett over to the Eastern Conference. The Big Ticket will join recently-acquired Ray Allen and the incumbent Paul Pierce to form one of the most deadly trios in the NBA. On paper, anyway.

Celtic fans were crestfallen after losing the Greg Oden-Kevin Durant Lottery, but they’ve got a lot to smile about now after landing the 10-time All-Star who averaged 20.5 points, 11.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists in 38.3 minutes per game in 12 seasons for the Wolves. Garnett – drafted fifth overall by Minnesota in 1995 – was the league’s MVP in 2003-04.

The Timberwolves have to be pretty happy, themselves. Despite what ESPN.com’s Bill Simmons feels, there are some talented young pieces moving West in the trade. Al Jefferson is a stud-in-waiting and the inconsistent Gerald Green has a high ceiling. Sebastian Telfair and Ryan Gomes are nice pieces and Theo Ratliffe is cap relief. Two first-rounders are … well … two first rounders. Randy Foye had a solid rookie season and Corey Brewer is a versatile player who excels on both ends of the court.

In other words, both teams should go home happy when the smoke settles on the deal.

So how does this affect the Cavaliers?

First and most obviously, it shakes up the power of the entire Conference. Before the deal, you could argue that every single team that reached the postseason last year would do so again and no team was poised to move into the Elite Eight.

But Boston – (and again, on paper) – has to be considered among the top four in the East at this point. They have three of the league’s top 17 scorers and its rebounding leader. They're strong on the perimeter and in the paint. Now they just need to find some bodies to fill out the roster.

It’s not a stretch to say that Cavaliers personnel and fans were just a little relieved that Garnett went to the Titanic Division rather than the Central. The Celitcs immediately move past each team in their division. His addition would have had the same effect on, say, the Bulls.

The Cavaliers have stood pat all summer and still have to ink their two young guns – Anderson Varejao and Sasha Pavlovic – before moving forward. Danny Ferry has exercised patience; not making a move just to make one.

But the deal that brings the Big Ticket to Beantown is a reminder that the Eastern Conference won’t remain weak forever. Even if the Celtics currently have a problem filling out a roster, they’re just one more team that is in it to win it – and have their eyes fixed squarely on what the Wine and Gold won just two months ago.