Jefferson signs extension with the Wolves!
Former Boston Celtic power forward Al Jefferson just sealed his fate, assuring Minnesota of a decent to potentially-great PF in Kevin Garnett’s old spot by signing a five-year, incentive-laden contract that is short of the max, but certainly will make Jefferson a well-to-do guy going forward. Exact terms of the deal aren’t fully revealed at this point.
I do want to say it was wise of Jefferson to settle for a slightly lower deal than he could have gotten had he waited. Perhaps he learned from Garnett’s career. Minnesota was required to overpay Garnett far too early in his career, and the team was therefore never free to build a reliable supporting cast around him.
By locking up for five years but not maxing out, the Wolves window for reloading the team will stay open a bit longer, through 2008 and 2009. If we don’t have all the pieces in place, L-rd help us all, but I suspect a safety utility knife may come into the picture with the NEXT “tear apart and reassemble” job that will require!
