January 26, 2006Click Here to see the online video of the press conference.
Minnesota Timberwolves Vice President of Basketball Operations Kevin McHale today announced the team has acquired guards Ricky Davis and Marcus Banks, center Mark Blount and forward Justin Reed from the Boston Celtics for forward Wally Szczerbiak, centers Michael Olowokandi and Dwayne Jones and a future protected first-round NBA draft pick. In addition, the Timberwolves will receive two second-round picks.
"Through this trade, we've become a much more athletic team," said McHale. "With Ricky Davis, we've added one of the more talented shooting guards in the NBA - both on the offensive and defensive ends of the court. Plus, with Davis and Trenton Hassell together on the court, we'll have a great defensive presence at the 2-3 positions."
"Mark Blount is big man who can score. He has the ability to play in the high post as well as the low post. With Banks and Reed, we've added a couple of younger players that have athletic ability."
"It was a tough decision to trade Wally," added McHale. "He has been the ultimate professional and a very good player for us through the years. I wish him nothing but the best of luck with the rest of his NBA career.
Davis, a 6-7 guard from Iowa, is averaging 19.7 points (.464 FG%), 4.5 rebounds and 5.3 assists in 41.6 minutes per game in 42 games this season (all starts) for the Celtics. He has scored 20-plus points in 26 games and scored 30-plus points on four occasions. This season, Davis led the Celtics in scoring in 11 games and led or tied for the team lead in assists in 22 contests. In his eight-year NBA career, Davis has posted 13.6 ppg, 3.4 rpg, 3.2 apg and 28.4 mpg in 465 games (169 starts). He was originally drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in the first round (21st overall) of the 1998 NBA Draft.
Blount, a 7-0 center from Pittsburgh, is averaging 12.4 points (.511 FG%), 4.2 rebounds and 27.8 minutes per game in 39 contests (25 starts) for Boston this season. Blount’s best season in the NBA came in the 2003-04 when he played in all 82 regular-season games for Boston (73 starts), and finished with career highs in scoring (843 points, 10.3 ppg), rebounds (589, 7.2 rpg) and field goal percentage (.566, 342-604). In 392 career NBA regular-season games (236 starts), Blount has tallied 7.3 ppg and 4.5 rpg in 21.8 mpg. Blount was originally selected by the Seattle SuperSonics in the second round (55th overall) of the 1997 NBA Draft.
Banks, a 6-2 guard from UNLV, was selected 13th overall in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies and had his draft rights traded to Boston in a multi-player deal. In 18 games this season, Banks is averaging 5.5 points, 1.1 rebounds and 1.8 assists in 14.9 minutes. In two-plus seasons with the Celtics, he has appeared in 180 games (five starts) with averages of 5.3 ppg, 1.5 rpg, 2.0 apg and 15.6 mpg.
Reed, a second-year player from Mississippi, is averaging 2.3 points and 9.1 minutes per game in 32 contests this year. In 2004-05, the 6-8 forward posted 1.8 ppg and 5.3 mpg. Drafted by the Celtics in the second round of the 2004 NBA Draft (40th overall), Reed was an All-SEC First Team member his senior season after compiling 18.5 ppg and 7.5 rpg. He was the lone SEC player to rank in the top five in scoring and rebounding.
Szczerbiak, a 6-7 guard, is averaging 20.1 ppg (.495 FG%), 4.8 rpg and 38.9 mpg in 40 games (all starts) for Minnesota this season. He has topped the Wolves in scoring on 17 occasions, including a season-high 34 points at the L.A. Lakers on Dec. 2. In 438 career NBA regular-season games, Szczerbiak has averaged 15.4 ppg and 4.4 rpg in 37.0 mpg. Szczerbiak, who had spent his first six-plus seasons with the Wolves, was drafted in the first round (sixth overall) of the 1999 NBA Draft.
In 32 games (24 starts) for the Timberwolves this season, Olowokandi is averaging 6.0 points (.446 FG%), and 5.6 rebounds in 23.5 mpg. Olowokandi signed as a free agent with Minnesota on July 16, 2003. The 7-0 center from the University of Pacific played his first five NBA campaigns in Los Angeles after the Clippers made him the first overall selection in the 1998 NBA Draft. In two-plus seasons with Minnesota, Olowokandi has totaled 6.1 ppg, 5.5 rpg and 21.1 mpg in 137 regular-season contests.
Jones, a 6-11 center, was assigned to Minnesota’s NBADL affiliate the Florida Flame on Nov. 3, where he appeared in 20 games (19 starts) and averaged 9.3 points (.477 FG%) and 29.6 minutes per game. Jones was an early entry candidate for the 2005 NBA Draft, but was not selected. The Wolves signed him as a free agent on Aug. 26.