NBA Insider with Ken Berger

In the words of the late, great Kurt Vonnegut, the excrement hit the air conditioning today when an already intriguing NBA offseason got infinitely more intriguing.

The L.A. Times reported on its Web site that the Timberwolves and Lakers are discussing a blockbuster trade that would make Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant teammates in Los Angeles, sending shockwaves throughout the league.

Such a deal would be stunning enough if it only affected one superstar, Garnett. But if the Lakers and T-Wolves can pull this off, it would satisfy two of the league’s biggest stars and unite them on a team that would have to consider itself a power worthy of challenging the Spurs, Suns, and Mavericks for Western Conference – and thus, NBA – supremacy.

According to the Times, the discussions were brokered by Lakers owner Jerry Buss and T-Wolves owner Glen Taylor, who spoke for 20 minutes by phone on Friday. Initially, a four-team deal was discussed with the Pacers sending Jermaine O’Neal to Boston and the Celtics presumably sending their No. 5 pick in Thursday’s draft to Minnesota.

Now, two things need to be determined. First, would the Lakers acquiring Garnett be enough for Bryant to back down from his request to be traded? And second, would Andrew Bynum, Lamar Odom, and Kwame Brown be enough for persuade Minnesota G.M. Kevin McHale to part with Garnett?

What McHale really wants for Garnett is a high draft pick, and the Celtics hold that card with the fifth pick.

Hands down, this will be the most interesting storyline in the run-up to the draft Thursday, but several other deals have a chance to be consummated.

Will the Suns send Shawn Marion to Boston even though he doesn’t want to play there? Will the Hawks make another bonehead pick with the No. 3 selection, or will they trade it? What will the 76ers do with their three first-round picks? If the Pacers can’t revive their involvement in the Garnett-to-L.A. scenario, will they find another suitor for O’Neal?

Where are the Knicks in all of this? On the sideline. The desire is there, but now that the heavy hitters have jumped into the ring, it appears that Isiah Thomas doesn’t have the assets to make a serious play for any of the top-tier talents who could be changing teams. Unless you consider Seattle’s Rashard Lewis a top-tier talent. Thomas does.