Over the past week every media personality have gone out of their way to state that Kevin Garnett did all he could to help the Minnesota Timberwolves get out of the first round for the first time in six straight seasons, only to fall well short again.  It is true that Garnett was a major force while on the court, averaging 21.2 points and 12.1 rebounds, but as Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald reports it is his actions which are holding the Timberwolves back.

It is true, Garnett is a one man wrecking crew who needs help.  It is true he is one of the most versatile, young superstars in the game.  But it is also true that he is earning 60% of his team?s salary cap.  How is Minnesota?s management supposed to squeeze in a solid supporting cast for Garnett when so much of the team?s money is tied up in their superstar?

While it takes two to make a bad deal, and yes Garnett?s $121 million for six seasons was a bad deal, but he should know as much as anyone that what he takes with one hand the organization takes with the other.  Minnesota is a medium-sized market and the owner does not have unlimited resources, so it doesn?t take a genius to work out that the other 11 players on the roster are going to suffer.

It is also true that owner Glen Taylor should never have made Garnett that enormous offer, but giving him the benefit of the doubt he may have been operating under the incorrect assumption that Garnett would sign with the Bulls as a free agent if the Timberwolves didn't offer the monstrous contract extension.  After all that was Krause?s original plan, start over by signing both Garnett and McDyess in the same off season to avoid falling into NBA mediocrity.  How ironic.

In 1998 the Timberwolves had assembled their best ever squad, taking the Seattle Supersonics the distance before falling in Game 5.  That team had Stephon Marbury and Tom Gugliotta on it to offer help to Garnett, but both saw the fiscal opportunities and chose to leave.  Gugliotta left for Phoenix, while Marbury forced a trade ?home? to New Jersey before being shipped onto Phoenix for Jason Kidd, once again uniting with Gugliotta.

Of course management have done themselves no favors since then either.  Need we really need to bring back up the whole Joe Smith fiasco?  They sign him to an under-the-table contract, get found out, his contract is voided, he is forced to leave, Kevin McHale is forced to take a season off and they lose first round picks.  Smith signs with Detroit, plays out the season, then the Wolves sign him again!  Will they ever learn?

They are set to lose their first round selection again this season over that one.  Had they just let Smith be last year they could have had Jason Collins.  Surely he would have helped as much as Smith did this season, right?

As McGraw writes ?Garnett asked to be the man in Minnesota when he signed the NBA's largest contract. He should live with the consequences and not tell reporters to judge him based on what he could have done with Marbury as a teammate.?

?Here's another idea: When his contract expires in 2004, maybe Garnett should agree to be paid the minimum salary for a few years so the Wolves could add some players and the paying customers in Minnesota could enjoy a playoff run that lasts longer than a week.?