Published Sunday, January
17, 1999
Wolves to get Garrett,
Jackson for Williams
Steve Aschburner / Star
Tribune
Former Timberwolves center
Dean Garett and former
Gophers guard Bobby Jackson
are expected to be dealt to
the Wolves by the Denver
Nuggets this week in a
three-way deal that also
includes the Toronto
Raptors.
Garrett and [Bobby Jackson]
Jackson,
both of Bobby Jackson
whom played with a sweet
last season reverse layup
in Denver, during his days
would be with the Golden
sent to the Gophers.
Wolves, according to
sources familiar with the
trade talks. The Wolves
would ship guard Micheal
Williams to Toronto, and
the Raptors would send
guard Chauncey Billups to
Denver.
Toronto also is expected to
receive at least one
first-round draft pick from
either the Nuggets or the
Wolves. The deal also might
include Raptors forward
Reggie Slater moving to the
Nuggets.
Wolves vice president Kevin
McHale and coach/general
manager Flip Saunders could
not be reached for comment
Saturday night.
Details of the trade were
confirmed by an Eastern
Conference general manager
and an official in the
Nuggets front office, both
speaking on condition of
anonymity. The Rocky
Mountain News and the
Toronto Star also were
reporting the story.
All trades and signings are
on hold until at least
Tuesday, while the NBA
finalizes terms of its new
collective bargaining
agreement with the players
union. Teams are scheduled
to open training camps that
day, and a flurry of
personnel moves are
anticipated.
[Dean Garrett] The deal
would shore
Denver Nuggets up a weak
forward Dean spot for
Garrett, the Wolves.
center, hugs The
forward 6-foot-11
LaPhonso Ellis Garrett,
as Bobby 32, thrived
Jackson, left, in their
joins them. system as a
30-year-old NBA rookie in
1996-97 and helped fill the
team's most pressing need.
Garrett averaged 8.0 points
and 7.3 rebounds in his one
season in Minnesota, and
improved to 12.7 points and
11.7 rebounds in a
three-game playoff series
against Houston. He wanted
to re-sign with the Wolves,
but NBA rules in effect
then limited him to a 20
percent raise over the
league minimum ($327,000)
if he stayed. Instead, he
landed a five-year, $11
million contract with
Denver.
Last season, Garrett played
all 82 games, averaging 7.3
points and 7.9 rebounds. He
was miserable during the
Nuggets' woeful 11-71
season, however, and
expressed a desire to
return to Minnesota.
Jackson, 25, led the
Gophers to the Final Four
as a senior, and was the
23rd pick in the 1997 NBA
draft. He averaged 11.6
points, 4.7 assists and 4.4
rebounds in his first
season at point guard, and
made the all-rookie second
team.
But he, too, struggled with
Denver's losing. Jackson
had two incidents last
season, one in which he
snapped at a coach and
another in which he refused
to re-enter a game after
being yanked.
Billups, 22, was the third
pick in the 1997 draft, but
was traded by Boston to
Toronto in a seven-player
deal midway through last
season. He averaged 11.2
points and 3.9 assists,
while shooting just 37.4
percent.
The Nuggets still regard
him highly, though, and see
fan appeal in the 6-foot-3
native of Denver, who
starred at the University
of Colorado.
Williams, a 10-year
veteran, has been with the
Wolves since 1992-93. Until
1997-98, he had played only
10 games in the three
previous years because of
nerve damage in his left
foot.
But Williams played 25
games last season,
averaging 6.4 minutes, 2.6
points and 1.3 assists. In
the playoff series against
Seattle, he averaged 14.5
minutes, 5.0 points and 2.8
assists.
The deal also would be
required to meet NBA rules
for matching salaries,
since both the Wolves and
the Raptors are over the
$30 million salary cap.
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Tribune. All right
reserved.