League sources have reported that the Boston Celtics are still in talks with the Minnesota Timberwolves to acquire Kevin Garnett, but a new name in the deal is causing a snag.

The deal to move Garnett to Boston would include Al Jefferson and the fifth pick, and now the Timberwolves want to ship out Marko Jaric and attain Gerald Green.

The Celtics are pushing back on Jaric, who has four years left on his $40 million contract. The big guard from Serbia averaged just over five points last season and has never averaged more than 10 points per game during his five-year career. The 21 year old Green, on the other hand, carries a low price tag and untapped potential

Expanded Timberwolves trade rumor: Kevin Garnett to the Phoenix Suns as part of a three-way deal with the Boston Celtics that would bring the Wolves 6-9 Kurt Thomas from Phoenix and 6-10 Theo Ratliff from Boston, both of whom have contracts that expire after next season. The Suns would send forward Shawn Marion to the Celtics, who would send guard Sebastian Telfair to the Wolves.

The Wolves would get the Celtics' No. 5 overall pick and the Suns' No. 24 overall pick in next week's NBA draft, and keep their No. 7 overall pick. In addition, the second-round conditional pick they owe Boston in the Ricky Davis-Wally Szczerbiak deal would be eliminated.

I just can't believe anyone would be stupid enough to give up Jefferson and the number five pick in a draft as deep as this for KG. And it wouldn't even end there. Boston would have to throw in a bunch of other stuff to make the salaries match up.

Nor is it likely that Kevin Garnett will find a new home before the start of next season. The only trade that makes sense for Minnesota is the reported deal that would send Garnett to Boston for a package of Al Jefferson, Gerald Green, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratliff and the fifth overall pick.

Of course this makes sense for the Timberwolves. In exchange for the 31-year-old KG, Minnesota would get a future All-Star power forward (Jefferson), a high flyer with enormous potential (Green) and much-needed payroll flexibility (couple Garnett's salary with Ratliff's expiring $11.7 million contract and you create plenty of wiggle room).

Minnesota also would have the pick from Boston as well as its own No. 7 selection in a draft many have predicted will be the deepest in years. Suppose the Timberwolves could land Ohio State point guard Mike Conley (who could step in and play right away) and Florida swingman Corey Brewer (who is the most NBA-ready player in the draft). Then they could use their second-round pick on a big man or peddle Ricky Davis for some frontcourt help.

Now, I'm not privy to what Danny Ainge is thinking on this one, but I would venture to say he would have to be certifiable to pull the trigger. Yes, acquiring Garnett would appease the Boston faithful, which hasn't seen a banner raised since 1986. But it would be a debilitating blow in the long term, as Garnett, who entered the league in 1995, has a lot of miles on his tires. And Ainge's "build with youth" plan wouldn't mean much since, well, he would no longer have any.