Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, The: Garnett wins big in salary roulette

On the surface, Kevin Garnett was back in good graces with Ned and Mable Mankato. The throng of Minnesota Timberwolves fans who turned on him over the summer were delighted to see their Kevie sign with the home team for more than $125 million over six seasons.

The 21-year-old Garnett a reclusive holdout all summer who turned down $103 million in August played blackjack to the nth power and won, with a roughly $21 million annual salary. And one of the National Basketball Association's small-market teams warded off a maddening fear of free agency, of losing its all-star forward to Chicago or some other ridiculously rich franchise.

But the reality of buying your dream house usually hits after the down payment. And the Timberwolves' owner, Glen Taylor, was talking about a potential six-year diet of rice and beans Thursday. By agreeing to the richest multiyear deal in team sports, the franchise must now find out a way to keep its burgeoning playoff team together. With point guard Stephon Marbury eligible for a contract extension next July and All-Star forward Tom Gugliotta able to exercise an option-out clause in his deal next summer, a good measure of imagination will be sorely needed. "All I can say is, three to four years, yes, we can run profitably," Taylor said. "But five, six and seven years from now, I don't know. We may have to get by getting more minimum-salaried type players. Unless some things happen that I don't know about right now, it's going to be difficult." The flip side is that Taylor, with his deep pockets, has shown an extraordinary commitment, one that Garnett's agent, Eric Fleisher, feels will become a lightning rod for other players. "I think everybody got what they wanted," Fleisher said. "The deal was structured in such a way that some of those things could be permitted down the road," he said, a reference to larger salary payments in later years. "I believe certain franchises have created an atmosphere where players want to play. And I think Minnesota has done that." The 6-foot-11-inch Garnett signed a contract that was front-loaded in order to create salary-cap room for future signings. But it is not too difficult to do the math and realize the potential problems. At $5.5 million a year, Gugliotta was the team's highest-paid player. Marbury, the schoolboy legend from Brooklyn who has been darting past the league's best point guards at 20, will be highly sought. Even if both players are somehow compensated by Minnesota, what kind of money will be left to lure a key role player who could push the Timberwolves into title contention? The lone hope may rest in the owners' possibly re-opening the collective bargaining agreement next spring to change the league's economics. For an owner such as Taylor, who paid $88 million for the entire franchise two years ago, the check writing has only begun. Was it really a good deal? "Yes and no," Taylor said. "We're happy we got Kevin, but we wanted to pay considerably less. I would say the difference between the first offer we made and the one he took was basically the type of players that will surround him. "But we're going to be creative. And maybe we can attract some guys that are willing to play for a team like this. I would have never imagined this two years ago. I paid one and a half times for Kevin what I paid for the whole thing. It makes absolutely no sense. But I have a franchise." And a very rich young star. Garnett, who averaged 17 points and 8 rebounds a game last season, signed a deal that surpasses Shaquille O'Neal's seven-year, $120 million contract signed last summer with the Lakers. O'Neal and Patrick Ewing, who signed a four-year, $68 million pact in July with the Knicks, will make about $4 million less than Garnett in annual salary. Only Michael Jordan's one-year, $33 million contract with Chicago is worth more for one year. "We sat and talked for about three hours after it was done," Fleisher said. "It was like draft night for him again. No one could imagine this kid out of high school two years ago being picked in the top five. He came out of nowhere. We were both a little numb."