TheGoldSeat

By now even the deafest timberwolf fan should have heard the news that Kevin Garnett has been traded to Boston. It is a trade that I agree with in principle, but am sad about from a nostalgia standpoint. It’s the end of an era in Minnesota sports history that began with so much promise and ended with too many regrets. To avoid shedding a tear over the recent developments, I will focus on which players the Wolves got in return for sending KG to finally play with Ray Allen. Before I get started, here is a refresher on what the trade entailed: Kevin Garnett for Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff, the first round pick that we gave Boston in the Davis/Szczerbiak trade (likely a 2009 pick), and Boston’s 2009 pick.

Ryan Gomes scored 12.1 ppg and grabbed 5.6 rpg in 73 games for Boston last year, and is generally acknowledged to be one of the classiest players in the league. Overlooked in the 2005 NBA Draft (50th overall) much like Craig Smith in the 2006 Draft, Gomes will be a pleasant surprise to Minnesota fans who have yet to become familiar with his talents.  What Gomes will give the Timberwolf faithful is well above average rebounding and jump shooting.  When you watch Gomes play, what you come away with are two things.  The first is that he has a really good feel for rebounding; he is constantly getting into position and getting his hand on balls (giggety..).  The second thing you will notice about Ryan when he steps foot on the Target Center floor is that he is virtually automatic from 15 to 19 feet.  Ala Sam Mitchell and Malik Sealy (God bless the dead), Gomes will knock down that 19th footer consistently, which will force defenders to stay honest and leave the lane open for the likes of Foye, Ricky, Shaddy and Brewer.

Despite a highly successful career as an All-America power forward at Providence College where he also played with prospect Herbert Hill in the Big East Conference, the 6′7.75″ Gomes fell in the 2005 NBA Draft to the late second round. His size and abilities did not fit scouts’ prototypical image of either a power forward or a small forward. Celtics‘ director of basketball operations Danny Ainge, however, felt that Gomes’ track record and work ethic were enough to take a chance on the local product with the 50th pick overall

2005-06 season

Wearing number 4, Gomes was expected to play off the bench in his rookie season spelling Celtics star Paul Pierce. His playing time and statistical impact were limited early in the season. However, on January 26, 2006, the Celtics executed a multiplayer trade with us that freed up roster space for Gomes to play. Soon after that, fellow Celtic Kendrick Perkins was injured and Gomes was inserted in the starting line-up.

After becoming a starter, Gomes excelled, and kept his job even after Perkins returned. On February 24, 2006 he collected 17 rebounds and scored 13 points. Gomes scored at least 10 points in 21 of the 29 games he started in 2006, and in 7 of those games he also had at least 10 rebounds. The second half of his rookie season was a definite success.

Gomes hustles relentlessly, and Celtics television color commentary man Tommy Heinsohn described Gomes as the best offensive rebounder on the Celtics’ roster. Despite his relatively small size, Gomes positions himself well on the court to rebound, and uses his hands well for easy put-back buckets and lay-ups. Gomes was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team for the 2005-2006 season, and chose to play in the Celtic’s 2006 NBA summer-league team. Gomes was named to the summer league all-first team for the second consecutive year–Joining Foye and Craig Smith with that honor.

2006-07 seasonGomes continued to make a significant impact starting 60 games for the Celtics in the 2006-07 season. Gomes averaged more than 30 minutes played, scoring 12.1 points per game, along with 1.6 assists and 5.6 rebounds. On November 8, 2006 Gomes recorded his first career triple-double collecting 10 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists against the Charlotte Bobcats in the Celtics’ first win of the 2006-07 season after an 0-3 start. On January 20, Gomes scored a career high 31 points in an overtime loss to the Washington Wizards. Coming off the bench on March 4, 2007, Gomes tied his career high of 17 rebounds and scored 21 points while playing a total of 51 minutes in a double overtime victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

On March 7, Gomes sprained his left foot and did not play in the second half of the game against the Houston Rockets. He sat out the following 7 games, and returned to the Celtics’ roster playing limited minutes beginning on March 21. Near the end of the season, Gomes began regularly shooting three point shots, making 14 of 34 in April, after shooting only 5 for 17 in his career to that point.

Gomes attracted the attention of the national media for comments he made following a Celtics’ loss to the Milwaukee Bucks on April 13. Neither Gomes nor starting point guard Rajon Rondo played in the game’s final, decisive minutes. After, Gomes said, “I probably (would have played), but since we were in the hunt for a high draft pick, of course things are different.” This was the first public comment by a Celtic in 2007 implying that the team was losing games purposely, to enhance their status for the 2007 NBA Draft. NBA Commissioner David Stern reportedly sought to speak with Gomes regarding his comments.

On a related note, watch for my next post which will be entitled: “Why the hell didn’t we get Rajon Rondo?????????????  Are you freaking kidding me, McHale!!!!!!!!!!!!”

Here are some career highlights from Ryan Gomes:

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