Jefferson was traded away for an apple, an orange and some cap space.

In separate deals today, David Kahn traded Al Jefferson away for pretty much nothing and then offered Luke Ridnour a contract for four years, $16 million. (Yahoo!) 

The Utah Jazz are acquiring forward Al Jefferson(notes) from the Minnesota Timberwolves, a league source told Yahoo! Sports. 

The source said the trade will be completed sometime Tuesday. The Jazz will take on Jefferson by using the trade exception they obtained in their sign-and-trade deal that sent Carlos Boozer(notes) to the Chicago Bulls. 

The Jazz also expect to send the T’wolves a protected first-round pick they acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies last season in the Ronnie Brewer trade and another future first-round pick. More than anything, the T’wolves are making the deal to get off the remaining three years and $42 million on Jefferson’s contract. They have been looking to trade Jefferson for some time after deciding to build around forward Kevin Love. 

Free-agent point guard Luke Ridnour also is close to agreeing on a four-year, $16 million contract with the T’wolves. 

Well, you know how the saying goes: Any time you can trade a stud away for cap space and then use that cap space to spend $36 million on Luke Ridnour and Darko Milicic, you have no choice but to pull the trigger. Especially when Ridnour plays the same position as Jonny Flynn, Ramon Sessions and Ricky Rubio. Yet another steal by David Kahn, who is desperately trying to become the fastest ever winner of the Isiah Thomas Lifetime Achievement Award.