MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota Timberwolves were ready to write it off as another fruitless deadline day when general manager Kevin McHale made one last call to the Golden State Warriors.

	Garrett

	Jackson

By the time he hung up the phone, McHale had acquired a 6-foot-10 center who was desperate to get out of Golden State.

The Timberwolves were the surprise winners of the Marc Jackson sweepstakes Wednesday, acquiring him from the Warriors for the relatively low price of center Dean Garrett and a second-round draft pick in 2007.

The deal was struck just 10 minutes before the 6 p.m. ET NBA trading deadline.

"This was the only offer we received. There were not any deals in the last 48 hours that worked for both parties in terms of the luxury tax and the salary cap," Golden State general manager Garry St. Jean said. "We went through the process and had a dialogue with a lot of teams, but there were not any takers.

"A major factor in all of this for our team, as well as other teams, is the luxury tax and the salary cap. This was all that was out there," St. Jean said.

The 6-foot-10, 270-pound Jackson averaged 4.9 points and 2.5 rebounds for the Warriors this season, his second with the team. He was a first-team All-Rookie selection last year when he averaged 13.2 points and 7.5 rebounds.

Jackson signed a six-year, $24 million offer sheet with Houston before the start of this season, but he was a restricted free agent and the Warriors matched the offer.

Golden State had been trying since December to trade him, and Jackson sat out the last 16 games as coach Brian Winters said he would use the players who planned to be with the team for the rest of the season.

Jackson had the right to veto any deal, and he expanded his original list of three acceptable teams to include the Timberwolves, among others.

Under NBA rules, the Rockets were not eligible to acquire him in a trade for one year.

"You kept hearing stuff about how it was a done deal in places like Phoenix or New York," McHale said, "and every place you heard was a team that needed a physical presence. But slowly, it just didn't happen.

"So, yeah, I feel lucky. But as in everything, the proof is in the pudding. We'll see how well the team plays. I'm glad to give him a chance to play for a winning team."

Jackson will provide the Timberwolves with depth at center, where Garrett had played in only 29 games as the backup to Rasho Nesterovic and rookie Loren Woods. The Timberwolves, who played at Houston on Thursday, began the night just a half-game behind the first-place Dallas Mavericks in the Midwest Division.

Garrett, who makes $3 million, will come off Golden State's salary cap at the end of this season.

"We weren't able to get things done that we wanted to get done. We weren't going to wait until October to get something done," St. Jean said.

Jackson was expected to join the Timberwolves for their game Saturday night at San Antonio.