Salt Lake City -- In their quest to get more athletic, faster and have minutes for their youth, the Utah Jazz were looking to move power forward Al Jefferson's slow-it-down, low-post game and chunky contract.
The Rockets were searching for a replacement for Dwight Howard, after realizing that they would not be able to capitalize in the sweepstakes
Jefferson
"We are happy to acquire a young power player who has developed into one of the best low-post scorers in the league," Rockets GM Morey said in a statement provided by the team. "We gave up significant assets to obtain Al and we look forward to watching him progress with our team."
Jefferson came to the Timberwolves in 2007 as the main cog in the blockbuster deal that sent Kevin Garnett to Boston. He averaged 23.1 points and 11 rebounds in 50 games the following season before he blew out his right knee in 2009.
Jefferson was the last remaining player from that deal. Former general manager Kevin McHale was fond of Jefferson's footwork and wide array of low-post moves, the kind of old-school, back-to-the-basket game that worked so well for McHale as a Hall of Fame player in Boston.
The match looked promising at the beginning, with Jefferson signing a five-year, $65 million contract and averaging 21 points and 11.1 rebounds in his first season in Minnesota. He was pushing for the All-Star team in his second season, dominating offensively when he tore ligaments in his right knee in the final game before the break in New Orleans.
The 25-year-old Jefferson came into the league during the down years in Boston and was traded to lowly Minnesota, so he's never known what it's like to play for a winner.
After two seasons with Utah, his stock has only increased, after finally leading his team to the playoffs for the first time in years
"We're only about halfway through this exercise," he said.
