NJ to target KG in the off-season?

[Roy H.]

Having tried and failed to get their hands on Dwight Howard at the trade deadline this year, the New Jersey Nets have already turned their attention to other big men who could potentially hit the market this summer. Chief among them, according to SI’s Zach Lowe, is the Boston Celtics’ Kevin Garnett.

Lowe followed up a report from SI’s Chris Mannix saying that Garnett and the Orlando Magic’s Ryan Anderson were atop the Nets’ wish list. Apparently the Nets’ main man is KG, who turns 36 this spring and has endured multiple knee surgeries in recent years.

Garnett has an expiring contract this spring — he’s currently playing out the final season of the three-year extension he signed upon his trade to Boston in 2007, making $21.2 million. It’s unknown whether he wants to play anywhere at all once he finishes this deal, much less with the struggling Nets.

http://tracking.si.com/2012/03/16/report-nets-very-interested-in-signing-celtics-kevin-garnett-this-summer/

A starting lineup of Lopez/KG/Wallace/Brooks/Deron would be an interesting one, but I can't see KG leaving unless he thought his signing would put another team over the top.  I still think he's most likely to end up in Boston.

[Bankshot]

I think KG is too loyal.  Remember he didn't even want to leave the losing Wolves at first. He already has a ring, so I don't think the lure of a championship with the Nets is that strong. Nothing beats winning a championship as a Celtic or a Laker.

[Chris]

I think KG is too loyal.  Remember he didn't even want to leave the losing Wolves at first. He already has a ring, so I don't think the lure of a championship with the Nets is that strong. Nothing beats winning a championship as a Celtic or a Laker.

It all depends on what the C's are offering.  I agree that he will prefer to stay in Boston, but they very well could decide to move on, and they won't have enough money to make a reasonable offer for him.  If that happens, I think the Nets would be a great option for him.  I also think Ray would love to go to the Nets as well, if the fit isn't right in Boston.

[StartOrien]

Lopez & Garnett would certainly be awesome for fans of rebounding disparities.

[MBunge]

I can't forsee any situation where KG is playing anywhere but Boston next year.

Mike

[Taklamar]

I'm assuming KG will retire after this year.  His decline in athleticism is going to make it hard to be good power forward and he doesn't like playing center (though I think he could be a solid center). The only thing he has left to play for is championships.

He doesn't strike me as the type to stick around past his time, so I think this might be it.

[pearljammer10]

KG might be loyal, but who even says the Celts will offer him a contract to comeback if he wants to continue playing. That lineup looks great on paper, if we dont want KG and he wants to play, I can see him signing with New Jersey.

[Mr October]

I can't forsee any situation where KG is playing anywhere but Boston next year.

Mike

I think there is a decent chance that the C's management decide to move on. They need to start acquiring young talent (smart contracts, the draft) and show casing them.

This last stand of the big three is going to be fun to watch. However they're so close to being done as top players, that I'd rather not see them struggle on a 35-45 win team. Garnett and Ray (if they don't retire) deserve to go out on a contender.

[snively]

I wonder how much they'd be willing to pay him and for how many years.  Losing KG to retirement or free agency would be a big blow; still such a good player.

I'd hope we could retain him on a 1 year $10 mil deal (and Ray on a 1 year $6.5 mil deal, a la Grant Hill).  

EDIT: hopefully cheaper than that actually.  With ~$25 mil in cap
space, want a lot more wiggle room to add free agents/pull off a deal using cap space.  Maybe $7.5 for KG and $4 for Ray with two extra partially guaranteed years each to give them some extra cash on their way out.

[Lucky17]

I'm assuming KG will retire after this year.  His decline in athleticism is going to make it hard to be good power forward and he doesn't like playing center (though I think he could be a solid center). The only thing he has left to play for is championships.

He doesn't strike me as the type to stick around past his time, so I think this might be it.

Look at KG's numbers for the past four years. There is no decline.

http://espn.go.com/nba/player/stats/_/id/261/kevin-garnett

He may be getting older, but it doesn't appear as though his productivity is in decline at all.

I think he has at least one more year in him. Next year, you won't be seeing as many back-to-backs either. A more reasonable pace to the season.

[StartOrien]

KG might be loyal, but who even says the Celts will offer him a contract to comeback if he wants to continue playing. That lineup looks great on paper, if we dont want KG and he wants to play, I can see him signing with New Jersey.

Interesting take that reminds me of what Larry Bird said on the BS Report -

An advantage Red Auerbach made was that he was incredibly loyal to his players, and they returned that loyalty by effort, playing through injuries, etc.

Ainge has been fiercely unloyal to these players - I'm not saying that as an indictment or as a compliment to him - How much loyalty are they going to return to him?

[snively]

KG might be loyal, but who even says the Celts will offer him a contract to comeback if he wants to continue playing. That lineup looks great on paper, if we dont want KG and he wants to play, I can see him signing with New Jersey.

Interesting take that reminds me of what Larry Bird said on the BS Report -

An advantage Red Auerbach made was that he was incredibly loyal to his players, and they returned that loyalty by effort, playing through injuries, etc.

Ainge has been fiercely unloyal to these players - I'm not saying that as an indictment or as a compliment to him - How much loyalty are they going to return to him?

Fiercely unloyal?  He traded for them, extended them and just now refused to dump them.  How is that unloyal?

[Lucky17]

KG might be loyal, but who even says the Celts will offer him a contract to comeback if he wants to continue playing. That lineup looks great on paper, if we dont want KG and he wants to play, I can see him signing with New Jersey.

Interesting take that reminds me of what Larry Bird said on the BS Report -

An advantage Red Auerbach made was that he was incredibly loyal to his players, and they returned that loyalty by effort, playing through injuries, etc.

Ainge has been fiercely unloyal to these players - I'm not saying that as an indictment or as a compliment to him - How much loyalty are they going to return to him?

Well, that's the impression we may get from our side of the glass looking in. But is that really the reality?

[StartOrien]

Well, that's the impression we may get from our side of the glass looking in. But is that really the reality?

I think that's fair. He's been fairly honest in his run, and has at least admitted to entertaining trades for Rondo in the summer and Ray last year. There's certainly enough information to support - including him admitting to having 11th hour conversations yesterday - to believe that he again was shopping them.

Fiercely unloyal?  He traded for them, extended them and just now refused to dump them.  How is that unloyal?

I think he's operated as a business. He kept them because he thought that was best for the team, but would've traded them in a heart beat if he thought it'd benefit the team.

Ultimately, I think that's a good trait - but it does make me think that there is a bit of a downside to operating that way.

[Mr October]

KG might be loyal, but who even says the Celts will offer him a contract to comeback if he wants to continue playing. That lineup looks great on paper, if we dont want KG and he wants to play, I can see him signing with New Jersey.

Interesting take that reminds me of what Larry Bird said on the BS Report -

An advantage Red Auerbach made was that he was incredibly loyal to his players, and they returned that loyalty by effort, playing through injuries, etc.

Ainge has been fiercely unloyal to these players - I'm not saying that as an indictment or as a compliment to him - How much loyalty are they going to return to him?

Well, that's the impression we may get from our side of the glass looking in. But is that really the reality?

Right. If the the Original big three played their last days under this level of media coverage, we would have heard all kinds of rumors. I don't put too much emphasis on the loyalty topic. The NBA is more about "business" over loyalty than ever on both the owners and players sides.

Having said that, the Celtics have been a classy organization under Wyc, Danny, and Doc. I imagine Red would have been proud.