What is the hold-up on #5 ?

[tenn_smoothie]

Where is the announcement about retiring Garnett's #5 jersey to the Garden Rafters ?

Surely, they are not trying to decide on it. I'm a bit tired of all this concern over too many retired numbers. We are the all-time greatest NBA franchise. Of course, we are going to have the most retired numbers - and it is a myth that we are running out. There are plenty of reasonable basketball numbers - upper 20's thru 50's - that future Celts can use.

Also - people who want to un-retire some of those numbers from the 60's somehow forget that was the greatest run of titles in the history of pro sports, 11 in 13 years. Those players deserve to be honored and if Red wanted them up there, that's good enough for me.

[gouki88]

I honestly have no clue. IIRC, we definitely announced that #5 would go up. No idea why it’s being delayed though, but I think it’s an inevitability

[droopdog7]

Has it been announced?  And frankly, I would be in the side of not retiring 5.  Kevin Garnett’s is a Timberwolf in my eyes.

[gpap]

I am a little surprised that wasn't scheduled for this season (unless they haven't announced it.)

If not this season, then I would think DEFINITELY next season.

Without KG, we don't win that title in '08

[hwangjini_1]

i am fine with them taking their time. as unpopular here as it may be, i don't think #5 should retired for kg.

he was here too short a time and has a single championship. if you wish to point to other celtics who have retired and numbers and only one championship, i won't object.

[nickagneta]

I don't think it's a certainty that Garnett gets his number retired as some my think. Except for 2008, KG just didn't have too many stellar seasons in Boston. He got hurt in 2009 and just was never the same.

[jambr380]

I agree with others that while KG instantly changed the culture when he came here, he probably shouldn't have his # retired here. He will eventually have his # retired in Minny (apparently after the team is sold in the future) so he doesn't really need it in both places.

I realize that we have had threads on this before, but I wish they would just retire names of most players and numbers of only the most elite (33, 6, 17...maybe 32, 18, 34).

I should note, KG was my favorite non-Celtic when he was traded here and he instantly brought a championship - it was AMAZING! I just don't think he quite had the longevity and I also have a pretty high standard for retiring #s.

[nickagneta]

I agree with others that while KG instantly changed the culture when he came here, he probably shouldn't have his # retired here. He will eventually have his # retired in Minny (apparently after the team is sold in the future) so he doesn't really need it in both places.

I realize that we have had threads on this before, but I wish they would just retire names of most players and numbers of only the most elite (33, 6, 17...maybe 32, 18, 34).

I should note, KG was my favorite non-Celtic when he was traded here and he instantly brought a championship - it was AMAZING! I just don't think he quite had the longevity and I also have a pretty high standard for retiring #s.

Just no way you can unretire numbers. What a current fan may think is an unnecessary retirement probably seemed well earned to the players on those teams, the front office and the fans at the time. Frank Ramsay, Bill Sharman, Bob Cousy, Sam Jones, Jo Jo White, Dave Cowens, Tom Heinsohn, Walter Brown, and Red Auerbach ABSOLUTELY have earned a retired number. Just because younger fans don't understand what these people brought to the Celtics is no reason to insult their legacy by unretiring their number.

[tenn_smoothie]

Kevin Garnett is clearly most responsible for pulling the Celtics out of the dark years of the Bias Curse. He is responsible for changing the culture on the team back to what it is supposed to be for a Celtics team. He made the Celtics attractive to other players again - even made being a Celtic "cool". Then in a convoluted way, he and Pierce leaving peacefully and with gratitude allowed Ainge to rebuild the current contender.

Let's not forget that KG lead us to one title, got us within 5 minutes of another title and made the Celts contenders every season he was here. Plus - the man loved being a Celtic and still talks about it. It's been a long time between retired numbers and Garnett & Pierce made the Celtics the Celtics again. No Brainer for me.

[mr. dee]

i am fine with them taking their time. as unpopular here as it may be, i don't think #5 should retired for kg.

he was here too short a time and has a single championship. if you wish to point to other celtics who have retired and numbers and only one championship, i won't object.

Big Ed didn't bring championship to the Celtics (but he's intrumental to the Russell trade) and still got his number is still retired by the team. KG stayed as much as him with the team (6 years).

Dennis Johnson only stayed one year longer than KG too.

[kraidstar]

Kevin Garnett is clearly most responsible for pulling the Celtics out of the dark years of the Bias Curse. He is responsible for changing the culture on the team back to what it is supposed to be for a Celtics team. He made the Celtics attractive to other players again - even made being a Celtic "cool". Then in a convoluted way, he and Pierce leaving peacefully and with gratitude allowed Ainge to rebuild the current contender.

Let's not forget that KG lead us to one title, got us within 5 minutes of another title and made the Celts contenders every season he was here. Plus - the man loved being a Celtic and still talks about it. It's been a long time between retired numbers and Garnett & Pierce made the Celtics the Celtics again. No Brainer for me.

This is such an underrated part of both KG and PP's legacy. They left as gracefully as they entered, class acts both.

Although they only won one championship, Pierce and Garnett's willingness to be traded has set us up to win several more. Their continues support of the franchise is terrific too.

Just last week after covering an NBA game Pierce was heckling the LA crowd in the background, chanting "Let's go Red Sox!" Amazing stuff.

[Atzar]

I don’t think his number should be retired in Boston.  He wasn’t good enough for long enough to get his number retired here.

He had ten years in Minnesota that were as good or better than his best year in Boston.  He’s forever a part of that ‘08 banner, but he’s a Timberwolf first.

[GreenEnvy]

I’ve always thought Boston was going to retire it, but Pierce had to go up first and they are waiting for Minnesota to retire his first. In his and Paul’s return they showed an empty square on the banner for each tribute - Paul’s the bottom left and KG’s the bottom right. Anyone who was at that game or Pierce’s ceremony knows the vast majority of fans would love it, so I don’t see why they’d back off after hinting at it.

I thought it was Minny causing the delay, as they are a joke franchise. But I just read that KG himself is repeatedly declining. He’s apparently p---ed with how they honored Flip and also wanted to play another season but Thibs didn’t want him (very perplexing as to why, maybe he was too intense for KAT and Wiggins?).

I still think Celtics are not in a rush (let it marinate after retiring Paul’s just last season) and waiting for KG let Minny do it first. Once #21 gets retired, I believe #5 will follow, probably the season after.

[Moranis]

Kevin Garnett is clearly most responsible for pulling the Celtics out of the dark years of the Bias Curse. He is responsible for changing the culture on the team back to what it is supposed to be for a Celtics team. He made the Celtics attractive to other players again - even made being a Celtic "cool". Then in a convoluted way, he and Pierce leaving peacefully and with gratitude allowed Ainge to rebuild the current contender.

Let's not forget that KG lead us to one title, got us within 5 minutes of another title and made the Celts contenders every season he was here. Plus - the man loved being a Celtic and still talks about it. It's been a long time between retired numbers and Garnett & Pierce made the Celtics the Celtics again. No Brainer for me.

Just to play devil's advocate a bit.  Are you so sure Allen wasn't the person responsible for the culture change?  After all the team went by ubuntu, which fits far closer with Allen's personality type then Garnett's.  Garnett refused to join the Celtics until after Allen had been acquired.  The Celtics went from the ECF in Allen's final season to a 41-40 first round loser without Allen in KG's last year.   Allen's role was constantly overlooked, but those teams thrived on Allen's shooting and his opening up the floor.  And Allen was absolutely awesome in the Finals win against the Lakers.  Boston doesn't win that title without Allen shooting lights out all series long.   Again mostly just playing devil's advocate because I do think Allen is overlooked a lot for how he left.  and for the record I have firmly been of the belief that neither KG nor Allen should have their number retired.  Neither did enough for long enough to earn that honor.

[Celtics4ever]

Are you so sure Allen wasn't the person responsible for the culture change?

I am sure, Ray's defense was not that good and Garnett demanded team mates play hard and lead by example.