MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Minnesota Timberwolves have agreed to send power forward Al Jefferson to the Utah Jazz for center Kosta Koufos and two future first-round draft picks.
The teams confirmed the trade Tuesday evening.
Timberwolves president David Kahn says the first-round picks and the added flexibility under the salary cap made it the right time to trade Jefferson.
Jefferson averaged 17.1 points and 9.3 rebounds last season in his first year back from a major knee injury in February 2009. He will help fill a void in Utah after Carlos Boozer went to Chicago.
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 the 50 games before he was injured in 2009.
