Why not Jermaine?
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by user Zupaclypse
After the NBA playoffs concluded this June, Minnesota Timberwolves' General Manager, Kevin McHale, sent shockwaves across the NBA community by placing his 10-time all-star, Kevin Garnett, on the trade market. Now, with the NBA moving season in full swing, GMs are frantically trying to acquire the assets Minnesota is seeking in exchange for its 7-foot forward. Indiana Pacers 5-time all-star Jermaine O'Neal, a player of similar size and strength, is also available this summer, yet he has not garnered the same interest. The question I pose to the NBA brass is why not Jermaine?
No one believes that JO is a better basketball talent than KG. While both players are very athletic for their size, it is KG that possesses a wider arsenal of perimeter skills. His per-game numbers are superior as well: 22 points and 13 rebounds vs. 19 and 10. KG is the beacon of consistency and good health while JO has been saddled by injuries and suspensions the last few years. With that said, Jermaine played 69 games last year and according to ESPN's John Hollinger and his rating system, was the league's best defensive player. In the same ranking system, KG was not even in the top 3 at the same position. Aren't all these teams in the hunt for KG missing the piece that can contain Tim Duncan?
When considering a monumental move for a franchise-type player, GMs also analyze chemisty issues and leadership qualities. With KG, the answer is simple. He has no chemisty problems and is the consummate teammate. JO has been unfairly characterized as a bad apple because of his difficulties playing with Ron Artest. Any conscious basketball observer can realize this was an impossible task. Furthermore, while several of his fellow Pacers were involved in criminal investigations, Jermaine has always maintained a maturity and eloquence that is somewhat foreign to his counterpart. While Garnett has superior stats, his impact in terms of leadership on the floor and execution in crunch-time leaves much to be desired. As a result, his winning percentage, through both superior and sub-par teammates, has been mediocre at best. These are important issues when tasked with overcoming the dominance and veteran savvy of the San Antonio Spurs.
In assessing value, one must consider other factors. KG is 31 and past his physical prime. His best season was 3 years ago, in 2004 when he won the MVP award. JO is just entering his prime at the age of 28, and having ridden the bench in his earlier Blazer days, he has considerably less mileage. This suggests that he will be able to compete athletically with NBA bigs for several more seasons.
Secondly, while both players have an opt-out clause in their contracts for next season, KG's salary after trade kickers is a whopping 28 million dollars per year. The Phoenix Suns, one potential trade partner, are trying to maneuver salaries creatively in order to aborb KG's contract and future extensions. Some teams are enlisting the aid of a third party in order to obtain the hefty expiring contracts and young talent the Timberwolves demand in any trade for Garnett. Meanwhile, Jermaine O'Neal's salary is considerably less expensive, and Indy's asking price is much lower. It is rumored that a package of Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum from the Lakers or Richard Jefferson and Nenad Kristic from the Nets is enough to appease the Pacers. The problem with trading for KG, luxury tax implications aside, is that it means gutting a franchise of talent needed to compete for a title which is the prime reason for pulling off such a trade in the first place. Neither superstar is a blockbuster attraction whose acquisition can result in excessive fan interest.
With these factors in mind, Jermaine O'Neal is clearly the better fit for most teams trying to obtain Kevin Garnett's services. He is the financially prudent choice, a defensive stalwart capable of impacting the outcome of heavily fought playoff battles for the rest of this decade. He also possesses a pleasant eloquence that KG has always lacked every since he came into the league. With the ultimate goal of winning multiple NBA championships with a reasonable payroll, teams must evaluate whether a transaction of this magnitude allows them to be favored against the NBA's very best. A franchise with Jermaine O'Neal is more potent than one with a player whose former nickname, Da Kid, still accurately reflects his overall dominance or lack thereof.
