This article takes the reader through an analysis of the NBA power-forward position.

These big bodies at the 4 spot fortify teams' rebounding and defense, and some of them are big scorers too.

When all is said and done, Kevin Garnett may be the best power forward of all time.

Malone, 41, is the second-leading scorer in NBA history, and he helped turn the power-forward spot into a glamor position.

Without a dominant big man like Shaq, you need a preeminent power forward to contend.  Some of this is a result of a decline in the contributions from the league's small forwards, but it's also in large part attributable to the rise of quality 4's.

"It's my job to make the game easier for my teammates," said Garnett. "For a team to be successful, there has to be a player that makes the other guys better."

"He just keeps getting better," Timberwolves coach Flip Saunders said, "because he works at it."

Garnett is given to playing the high post and out on the wing as much as on the blocks, while Duncan is usually in the low post or high post.

Despite a bevy of media reports indicating Utah Jazz free agent forward Tom Gugliotta would return to the Minnesota Timberwolves, where his career found its greatest successes, he signed a contract with the Boston Celtics today. Although terms of the contract were not disclosed, it's presumably a one year, minimum contract.

Gugliotta, known for his solid rebounding and soft shooting touch, was a 1993 First Team NBA All-Rookie selection. Selected sixth overall in the 1992 NBA Draft by Washington, Gugliotta averaged 14.7 points and 9.6 rebounds in his rookie campaign with the then Washington Bullets and would continue to improve eventually achieving All-Star status with the Minnesota Timberwolves in 1997.

"He is a guy that can play a little bit of center in a pinch for Doc (Rivers)," Celtics Executive Director of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge said. "He can play small forward, can play power forward. He can pass, he can shoot and create off the dribble. He's a complete basketball player. He really knows how to play the game."

As expected the controversy surrounding Gary Payton and his trade to Eastward to the Boston Celtics continued to be drama-riddled yesterday, with Payton making it clear via telephone that his non-presence in Boston at the time when he was meant to report after being traded from the Lakers was no accident.

While he says it is nothing against the Celtics organization, Payton is quite aminant that he will not be playing in the East this season.  Despite his rights currently being owned by Boston he says he'll retire before he reports, claiming he has been disrespected by the Lakers organization.

"I wasn't going to Boston to take a physical," he said. "I ain't going to move my family no more. I can't take my family to Boston. It ain't no disrespect to Boston."

Payton says he prefers to be moved on to either Houston, Minnesota or the Clippers, but if the Celtics decide not to make another trade Payton will have no choice but to become a Celtic or forfeit the $5.4 million remaining on his contract.

"I don't care about that," Payton said. "If it goes down, I'll quit. I can go on and do something else."

Payton said had he known the Lakers were going to trade him, he wouldn't have exercised his contract option for next season.

"They used me to sign so they could get other players," Payton said. "Boston is going to lose out on this. They ain't going to get (nothing). It's about respect. They (the Lakers) didn't respect me. Why should I respect them?"

Utah Jazz free agent forward Tom Gugliotta has spoken with Minnesota Timberwolves Vice President of Basketball Operations Kevin McHale about returning to the Timberwolves. McHale has received the go-ahead from owner Glen Taylor.

Gugliotta earned $9 million last year to play 14.9 minutes a game in 55 games with the Jazz and Phoenix Suns, averaging 2.9 points.

Gugliotta would sign a veteran's minimum contract with the Timberwolves, costing them only $600,000, with the league picking up another $400,000 of a total $1 million tab.

After weeks of delays the Minnesota Timberwolves have finally signed Troy Hudson. The official reason given for the delay was concerns over Hudson's health (a lagging ankle injury).

The contract is rumored to be worth $37 million over 6 years. The first four years guaranteed, the fifth dependent on Hudson's health the previous years (minimum 65 games in one of the previous 4 seasons), and the sixth dependent on Hudson achieving certain incentives.

If the Timberwolves cannot finish a deal to sign free-agent point guard Troy Hudson, he could end up with the Atlanta Hawks by this week.

Three weeks ago, both Hudson and the Wolves thought they had a six-year contract agreement for $37 million, with $21 million guaranteed.  Since then, both sides have found disagreements about language involving the amount of guarantees and injury protection.

Now the NBA won't approve the deal unless some salary cap issues are clarified.

Meanwhile, Hudson is getting impatient with the delay.

Atlanta is expected to offer Hudson a contract and the Sonics are in the running to acquire his services too.

According to a report in today's The Oregonian there is a chance that disgruntled forward Shareef Abdur-Rahim may be packing his bags, destination Minnesota.

The article by Geoffrey Arnold has the Blazers exploring a scenario where Abdur-Rahim is shipped out for Minnesota sharp shooter Wally Szczerbiak.  Since there is a $5.6m differential between the contracts of the two the trade cannot be one for one, with Minnesota needing to add additional players for the deal to be accepted.

One scenario discussed had Trenton Hassell involved, but Hassell signed an offer sheet with the Blazers which the Timberwolves matched Wednesday, making him untradeable at this point.

Other options include big men Michael Olowonkandi and Ervin Johnson, the latter of whom enters the final year of his contract making him a valuable commodity in terms of cap relief.

"If I can make a deal that's in the best interest of the team, I'm looking to do something with any player," Nash said Tuesday. "But I haven't had anything that I think would help our team."

The Minnesota Timberwolves have prevented their defensive stopper Trenton Hassell from joining the Portland Trail Blazers by matching the contract offer according to the team's official website.

The Timberwolves had 15 days to match the offer sheet signed by the restricted free agent on July 26, but in the end didn't need this long to make their decision.

"We're pleased to have re-signed Trenton and have him in the fold for the next few years," McHale said. "Trenton played a key role in what our team was able to accomplish last season. He works tremendously hard on both ends of the court and will provide depth at the shooting guard and small forward positions."