FanHouse Earl Boykins

Hopefully the amount of time that Jeff McInnis will spend on the hardwood just got ... shorter. Or, at the very least, the Bobcats will have a more explosive offensive team with the addition of Earl Boykins, who they inked today for the remainder of the season. Boykins had been unemployed throughout the 2007-08 season thus far after splitting time between the Bucks and Nuggets last year.

Boykins, who played for Denver and Milwaukee last season, is somewhat undersized at 5-foot-5 but has been a dynamic scorer. He will fill the roster spot left open when the Bobcats made a 2-for-1 deal in December, swapping Walter Herrmann and Primoz Brezec to Detroit for center Nazr Mohammed.

The move isn't a huge surprise (although Charlotte had not previously been discussed as a potential alternative for the little fella) as the Bobcats have a banged up Raymond Felton, a better-suited-for-the-two Derek Anderson and McInnis as the only options to run the point. Head coach Sam Vincent clearly has issues with Felton's abilities, otherwise he wouldn't let McInnis, whose single digit point and assist averages in 25 plus per game are just abysmal, be in charge of distribution. Boykins averaged 14 points and four and a half assists per game while playing with Milwaukee last year and should provide a nice spark plug for a team that needs one more true scorer.

When I think of the words "career-ending injury," I picture a basketball player suffering a grotesque knee injury or a football player taking a vicious hit that leaves him paralyzed. Sometimes, though, these things just kind of creep up on you, as in the case of Troy Hudson and his sore hip. From the San Francisco Chronicle (via BallHype):

"I think Troy's probably done," coach Don Nelson said after Tuesday's shootaround. "I don't think he'll play again. I'm serious. It's unfortunate, but he has a hip problem, and I haven't heard a second opinion, but it doesn't look good for him.

"He's going to have to have a new hip as he gets older, but we're quite concerned about him being able to play again. Right now, we're talking maybe four to six weeks off and then check again. But he has some spurs on his hip and arthritic conditions and it's just not a positive for him."

Hudson's doctor did suggest surgery to remove the spurs, but Hudson is reluctant considering the ensuing 18 months would most likely end his NBA career. He's going to seek a second and third opinion, but no matter what happens, it doesn't look good. The Warriors, meanwhile, are in a crunch without a backup point guard. Nelson isn't sure if they'll be adding another player anytime soon, but if they do, there are a handful of offensive minded point guards available on the free agent market (Earl Boykins) and trading block (Flip Murray?) who'd probably fit right into Golden State's style of play.

Well, it looks like it's official: Kevin Garnett will wear Celtic green next year, teaming up with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to form one of the most potent (and definitely the most expensive) trio of players in the entire league. From the Boston Herald:

A league source just confirmed that the Celtics and Timberwolves have finalized a deal that will bring Kevin Garnett to Boston in exchange for Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff and two first round draft picks.

Garnett is expected to arrive in Boston this afternoon for a physical.

Garnett has agreed to a three-year extension with the Celtics beyond the two remaining on his contract, guaranteeing that he will be a Celtic for the next five years.

That's pretty much the same package everyone was talking about yesterday, except that there are now two first-round picks instead of just one headed to Minnesota. It's far too early to say who actually won this trade (especially considering four of the five players Minnesota received are 24 years or younger) but we do know one thing for sure: Boston's depth took a huge hit.