KG intrigues San Antonio? Get in line

ESPNBOSTON.COM

Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan as teammates? The Spurs can dream, can't they?
Call it a welcoming gift to the offseason and a summer of uncertainty. Less than 24 hours after the Boston Celtics were eliminated from the postseason, a report out of San Antonio on Sunday suggested the Spurs would be interested in pairing Kevin Garnett and Tim Duncan next season.

From the blog of San Antonio Express-News columnist Buck Harvey:
The Spurs will consider everything and everyone this summer when free agency begins. But one option tossed out this weekend by one in the Spurs organization is not just another name. Kevin Garnett... Some will have more money to offer than the Spurs will. Some might have more young talent to put around him. All the Spurs could give Garnett is the closest thing to what he had in Boston, a veteran core with a chance to contend.

Allow us to save you a summer worth's of aggravation, Celtics fans: There are 29 teams in the league that will covet Kevin Garnett (Maybe the only team that wouldn't is the Minnesota Timberwolves, this after Garnett blasted his former organization this season, and, heck, even that might not stop them).

At some point there will whispers about how the Los Angeles Lakers would love to add Garnett (close to his home in Mailbu!) or maybe how the Miami Heat would be unstoppable if Garnett took a discount to play alongside the Miami Thrice.

Here's the bottom line: If Garnett decides to return to the court next season, Celtics coach Doc Rivers is convinced it will be in Boston. Garnett is fiercely loyal (just ask the Timberwolves) and it's hard to imagine him uprooting at this stage of his career unless he believes the Celtics have no shot at a world title.

Garnett made $21.2 million in the final year of a three-year extension he inked upon being traded to Boston in the summer of 2007. His personal resurgence in the second half of the 2012 season fueled the Celtics on their run to the Eastern Conference finals and would seemingly encourage the 36-year-old Garnett to come back for an 18th season.

It might have also increased his value in a league devoid of quality big men. But the Celtics will have money to spend this summer and, if they decide to keep their core intact, can afford to offer a quality one-year deal that will still maintain salary cap flexibility next offseason (when a larger overhaul would be more likely given available elite talent).

Garnett did not address reporters after Saturday's Game 7 loss in Miami, leaving his future plans unclear and fostering the San Antonio-like speculation.

112288

It could be a good fit for KG, but I think first San Antonio needs to decide if they're going to stand pat and try again by just adding a piece or two. They could be candidates for rebuilding as well.

If they try for one more run as is, I think they may have the money to do something short-term. Garnett in the mix with Duncan, Blair, Splitter and Bonner could be something, for a season anyway. It might help them in their attempt to take the west from OKC.

From Garnett's perspective it could give him one more shot at a title.

It might be the latest NBA rumor mill "flavor of the month" but as someone said; "anything is possible."

KG and Timmy have NEVER gotten along.

This is not going to happen. KG is staying in Boston.

mrkleen09 wrote:KG and Timmy have NEVER gotten along.

This is not going to happen. KG is staying in Boston.

I agree with MrKleen. Personality-wise they are like oil and water, and KG loves Doc.

KG stays here or he retires.

bob

.

I don't think he ends up in San Antonio either. However, lots of players don't get along, and yet they play together.

I appreciate what KG has done for us, and if he ends up elsewhere I would expect it would have to be somewhere he gets a shot at a title. To put a nice finish to a great career I hope he ends up somewhere that he gets one more.

Kudos to Kleen; I've never seen Duncan called "Timmy." Gave me a good chuckle.

I found this in an interview KG did with WEEI in 2010.


Q: Is this your last stop, the last place you want to be?

A: Yup, this is it. Last train stops in Boston.

bob


.

bobheckler wrote:I found this in an interview KG did with WEEI in 2010.


Q: Is this your last stop, the last place you want to be?

A: Yup, this is it. Last train stops in Boston.

bob


.

Well at least it's not Clarksville!

beat

"Well at least it's not Clarksville!"

beat.


Would he be there by 4:30?

NYCelt wrote:"Well at least it's not Clarksville!"

beat.


Would he be there by 4:30?

Only if you made the reservation, oh no no no........oh no no no
and I don't know if he's ever coming home.

Guy's

KG is not....I repeat not retiring. He signed a mega sneaker deal with a Chinese company and that was a multi year deal.........so he needs to be in the lime light to financially benefit from the deal.

He may just go somewhere else. Any team close to LA is possible as he lives in Malibu.

Look to Ray Allen go to a major city like NY, LA to play as his son needs special medical care due to his diabetes.

112288

112288,

I see there are a couple of Chinese sneaker companies making major marketing efforts; Li-Ning and Peak. Peak has Kidd and Battier among their sneaker contracts already. I understand Shaq is still the main guy for Li-Ning. Not cheap stuff in either line. You can see it coming; as if I haven't been spending enough on the Re-Zigs and Air Jordans my son outgrows every other month.

And with that I'm out of here before beat and I go on tour as The New Monkees.

Regards

Kevin Garnett Agrees to Sneaker Deal With China-Based Sports Company by Mike Cole on Mon, Aug 2, 2010 at 1:20AM Comments () inShare Celtics forward Kevin Garnett is no stranger to switching sneaker endorsements, but none of his previous deals will be as unusual as his latest. Garnett recently signed a mulit-year endorsement deal with ANTA Sports Products, a China-based sporting goods company. Garnett's current deal with Adidas is set to expire within the next month. For Garnett, it will be the fourth different shoe deal for him. In addition to being with the aforementioned Adidas, Garnett was previously endorsed by AND1 and Nike. ANTA is hoping to cash in on Garnett's worldwide popularity to help build upon a brand that is already the official sportswear sponsor for the Chinese Basketball Association. "... the joining of Kevin Garnett will no doubt help support the sustainability of the basketball industry in China, enhance our brand image and bolster our leadership and competitiveness in the basketball market," said Ding Shizhong, the CEO of ANTA. The "Big Ticket" will join Rockets forward/center Luis Scola as the only NBA players with ANTA contracts.

Read more at: http://www.nesn.com/2010/08/kevin-garnett-agrees-to-sneaker-deal-with-chinabased-sports-company.html

112288