Kevin Garnett Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Celtics Rumors: Garnett, Pierce, Rondo

February 8th, 2013 at 8:15am CST by Luke Adams

In the immediate wake of Rajon Rondo's ACL injury, plenty of fans and pundits questioned whether the Celtics were still a playoff team, speculating that clubs like the Sixers, Pistons, and Raptors could end up challenging for the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference. Since then, the Celtics have won six straight games, not only quieting that talk, but sneaking past the Bucks and into the seventh seed in the East. As the C's enjoy their best stretch of the season on the court, here's the latest off-the-court news out of Boston:

Kevin Garnett reiterated something he's said before, telling reporters, including Gary Washburn of the Boston Globe, that he wants to retire as a Celtic. "I don't know what all your sources are, or whoever's making up this [expletive] articles about me getting traded to Denver and all these other places," Garnett said. "But I bleed green, and I will continue to do that. And if it's up to me I'm going to retire a Celtic."
In his weekly appearance on WEEI's Big Show, president Danny Ainge said that keeping Garnett and Paul Pierce was "by far the most likely thing" for the Celtics. "There are so many teams that are trying to get younger," Ainge said. "There are so many teams that are trying to rebuild. There are so many teams that are trying to get higher draft picks already. I just think that where we value them as players is just greater than the rest of the league, which I think is common for players that age."
In a series of tweets, Marc J. Spears of Yahoo! Sports provides an update on Rondo's injury status. According to Spears, Rondo spoke to three doctors and will decide as early today which one will perform his surgery. The procedure is expected to happen next Tuesday or Wednesday, and will likely sideline him for six months.

Nuggets’ Interest In Garnett Not Reciprocal

February 6th, 2013 at 10:58am CST by Luke Adams

The Nuggets have called the Celtics about Kevin Garnett, but Denver's interest isn't reciprocated by Garnett himself, according to Mark Kiszla of the Denver Post. Kiszla reports that the Celtics big man has "let it be known" through his representatives that he's not currently interested in joining the Nuggets.

For most players, that stance wouldn't mean a whole lot, but Garnett is one of a handful of veterans to negotiate a no-trade clause into his contract, giving him the ability to veto any deal. A report earlier this week suggested that the 36-year-old wouldn't give his consent to a trade unless Paul Pierce was also heading out of Boston — even then, KG would prefer to be dealt to a Los Angeles team, near his home in Malibu.

As Matt Moore of CBSSports.com notes, the Nuggets don't make a ton of sense as a potential destination for Garnett anyway, since Denver generally hasn't been eager to add age or money. Garnett also wouldn't necessarily be a fit with George Karl's up-and-down style of play. Still, Kiszla's report indicates that the Nuggets are exploring their options and would be open to making a deal if it helps improve their title chances.

Odds & Ends: Celts, Garnett, Gay, Wolves, Draft

February 5th, 2013 at 11:44pm CST by Alex Lee

Here are some additional odds and ends from around the Association late Tuesday night:

Via CSN NE, Dan Shaughnessy and Gary Tanguay debate whether or not the Celtics should move Paul Pierce and/or Kevin Garnett. Shaughnessy seems to think that, with this core's championship hopes all but dashed, the Celtics have no reason not to move one of their stars.
CSN NE's A. Sherrod Blakely offers much of what we've already heard on Garnett within this story, adding that trade rumors hardly affect a team with the experience that the Celtics have. Armed with a no trade clause, Blakely says convincing Garnett to agree to a deal would be a "monumental task" for any team.
Fortunate to have several friends on the Raptors — most notably Kyle Lowry — Rudy Gay will have the freedom to do more in Toronto than he's recently had in Memphis, writes Stephen Brotherston of HoopsWorld.
With Minnesota and San Antonio slated to play Wednesday, Ray Richardson of the Pioneer Press writes that the Wolves — now with six international players on their roster — have followed in the Spurs' footsteps with regard to their personnel strategy.
Chad Ford and Eamonn Brennan of ESPN debate which college point guard is the best pro prospect. While both concede that Michigan's Trey Burke is the nation's best point guard, the analysts project Marcus Smart of Oklahoma State and Michael Carter-Williams of Syracuse as better fits for the pro game.

Kevin Garnett Addresses Trade Rumors

February 5th, 2013 at 12:08pm CST by Luke Adams

Despite having a no-trade clause in his contract with the Celtics, Kevin Garnett has been the subject of trade rumors this week, after a weekend report suggested the Clippers were interested in acquiring the veteran big man. Garnett spoke to reporters today about the NBA's trade season, and Brian Robb of CelticsHub passed along a few of KG's comments. Here's what Garnett had to say:

On the possibility of being traded:

"Danny [Ainge] made it very obvious since day one when he brought me and Ray [Allen] here to be aligned with Paul [Pierce] that he was going to do whatever was best for the organization. He’s made that apparent so I’ve understood that. I bleed green, I die green, that’s what it is. But it is a business though, and when it cross paths, I’ll deal with it. Trades are a part of this league. Every year you are going to hear certain things. If I were ya’ll, I wouldn’t read much into it though."

On having to deal with constant rumors:

"It’s part of the year. Right after All-Star, you start to hear things. Some of it’s chatter, some of it’s real. You just have to block certain things out, play through certain things. If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen — it’s out of your control a lot of times. The things you do control, you control those. You play, obviously fair. If the situation comes up where you got to move, then you are ready for it."

On having input on the Celtics' roster moves:

"Management usually makes those decisions on what they feel is best for the organization. A lot of the time players are just parts, and moving. No decision making. Danny talks to key guys here about decision making and that’s cool. He’s always give us important information and has been upfront with us. I don’t anticipate that changing anytime soon."

On whether he can imagine the Celtics without Pierce:

"No. I cannot. I will not."

Atlantic Notes: Knicks, Amundson, Celtics, Garnett

February 5th, 2013 at 9:50am CST by Luke Adams

Yesterday, we heard that Louis Amundson is bracing for a possible trade or release as the Timberwolves near a decision on whether to keep their players on 10-day contracts (Mickael Gelabale, Chris Johnson) for the rest of the season. Today, Jared Zwerling of ESPNNewYork.com wonders if the Knicks could be in play for Amundson if the T-Wolves decide to cut him loose. Here are a few more notes from around the Atlantic Division:

Some Knicks sources remain convinced that Rasheed Wallace is done for the season, but coach Mike Woodson isn't rushing to bring in a replacement, according to Zwerling.
Steve Kyler of HoopsWorld hears from sources that while Celtics president Danny Ainge has kicked the tires on some trade possibilities, he hasn't seriously considered moving Kevin Garnett. KG's bond with Paul Pierce and coach Doc Rivers would likely result in him blocking many possible deals anyway, writes Kyler.
Even though Nikola Vucevic is enjoying a breakout season for the Magic and Andrew Bynum hasn't played a single game for the Sixers, John Smallwood of the Philadelphia Daily News isn't second-guessing Philadelphia's decision to make last August's blockbuster trade.
As the Lakers arrive in Brooklyn for tonight's game against the Nets, Deron Williams tells reporters, including Tim Bontemps of the New York Post, that he isn't spending any time thinking about what could have been if Brooklyn had acquired Dwight Howard. "We’re happy with Brook [Lopez], we’re happy with the team we have now," Williams said. "It’s not a 'shoulda, woulda, coulda' scenario."

Kevin Garnett Rumors: Monday

February 4th, 2013 at 10:23pm CST by Luke Adams

A report from the Sporting News yesterday indicated that the Clippers and Celtics had engaged in talks about a possible Kevin Garnett trade. Even with Rajon Rondo and Jared Sullinger out for the year, a Garnett trade appears unlikely, considering he negotiated a no-trade clause into his most recent contract in hopes of retiring as a Celtic. Still, a couple more updates relating to the Clippers/C's rumor surfaced since yesterday, so we'll round those up right here:

Garnett will not waive his no trade clause unless Paul Pierce is also dealt, a source tells Shaun Powell of Sports On Earth (on Twitter). Even then, he would only give his consent to a deal that puts him in Los Angeles since he lives in Malibu. That would mean a deal to the Clippers and not the Lakers since there's no match for a deal there.
According to Broderick Turner of the Los Angeles Times, the Clippers aren't pursuing Garnett and haven't even had any conversations with the Celtics' front office about a potential deal that would include Eric Bledsoe and Caron Butler.

Earlier updates:

There's nothing happening between the Clippers and Celtics at the moment, tweets Ramona Shelburne of ESPNLosAngeles.com. In a second tweet, Shelburne clarifies that she's not ruling out the possibility entirely, but there's no current progress.
The Clippers' stance on trades, involving Garnett or anyone else, dictates that a deal would have to make sense for both now and the future, says Shelburne (via Twitter).
According to Paul Flannery of SBNation.com, the Garnett trade rumor was floated from the Clippers' side, rather than the Celtics'. It would take more than Bledsoe and Butler to pique Boston's interest, and even then there's no guarantee KG would waive his no-trade clause, writes Flannery.

Clippers, Celtics Engaged In Kevin Garnett Talks

February 3rd, 2013 at 12:33pm CST by Chuck Myron

The Clippers have reached out to the Celtics about trading for Kevin Garnett, and any offer would include Eric Bledsoe and Caron Butler, sources tell Sean Deveney of The Sporting News (Twitter link). Deveney cautions, via Twitter, that the Celtics haven't decided yet whether to break up their core, but it appears they'll have at least one option if they decide to do so. Ric Bucher reported earlier this week that some GMs would be reluctant to trade for Garnett, fearing he may retire before his contract is up in 2015, even if Garnett might not be quite ready to hang it up at the end of this season.

Garnett is one of four players who negotiated no-trade clauses into their contracts, so he'd have to approve any deal. A swap of Garnett for Bledsoe and Butler would work for salary-matching purposes, but I'm not sure the Celtics, with Rajon Rondo in the middle of a team-friendly deal, would have interest in a package headlined by an up-and-coming point guard. Bledsoe would fill the void left while Rondo recovers from his ACL injury, but the Celtics would have a decision to make either this summer, when Bledsoe is up for an extension on his rookie deal, or next, when he's set to become a restricted free agent. Rondo, like Garnett, is signed through 2015. Butler makes $8MM this season and next, so his presence wouldn't do much to help the Celtics clear cap space.

The Clippers' proposal makes much more sense from their end. Garnett would provide veteran leadership for a team looking to make unprecedented strides in the playoffs. He'd strengthen a front line that includes Blake Griffin, and he would probably see fewer minutes than he's getting in Boston with DeAndre Jordan and Lamar Odom around in Los Angeles. A reduced role may fit the bill for the 36-year-old Garnett, whose aging legs prompted the concern from league executives that Bucher passed along.

Stein’s Latest: Gasol, Celtics, Smith, Jazz

February 2nd, 2013 at 8:53am CST by Sean Highkin

ESPN.com's Marc Stein has posted his latest Weekend Dime column, featuring updates on several prominent players whose names have been featured in trade rumors ahead of the February 21 deadline. Here are the highlights of Stein's report:

Stein doesn't believe the Lakers will trade Pau Gasol before the deadline, although the Raptors are making a push to acquire him with a package built around Andrea Bargnani.
Although the Clippers have shown no indication of wanting to trade Eric Bledsoe, a swap of the third-year guard to the Celtics for Paul Pierce could make the most sense for both sides, Stein writes.
Celtics GM Danny Ainge recognizes that Pierce and Kevin Garnett don't have the value that would likely make it worth trading then, so he may instead look to move Jason Terry, Courtney Lee, or Jeff Green to get the team under the luxury tax threshold.
The Hawks have been gauging trade interest in Josh Smith, Stein reports. Although they are very open to moving the forward, there is hesitance because other teams don't want to risk him walking in free agency and Atlanta doesn't want to take on long-term salary.
Executives around the league don't expect the Jazz to trade Al Jefferson, saying they will either move Paul Millsap instead or stand pat.
Given their ownership situation, the Kings will likely not make any moves before the deadline. There has been interest in Tyreke Evans, although DeMarcus Cousins remains untouchable.
The Trail Blazers are not looking to make any moves that will help them in the short term, preferring to preserve their flexibility.
Teams expect the Magic to trade J.J. Redick, but executives tell Stein that GM Rob Hennigan is asking for young talent or draft picks for the veteran sharpshooter.

Odds & Ends: Hudson, Garnett, Heat, Bulls

February 1st, 2013 at 12:11pm CST by Luke Adams

Ex-NBA veteran Troy Hudson has officially ended his playing career, Sioux Falls Skyforce president Mike Heineman announced on Thursday (link via Terry Vandrovec of the Argus Leader). While Hudson hasn't appeared in the NBA since the 2007/08 season, he started this year with the D-League's Skyforce. In 517 career NBA games for five teams, the 6'1" guard averaged 9.0 PPG and 3.4 APG.

Here are a few more Friday odds and ends from around the league:

Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game clarifies (via Sulia) that his report earlier this week on Kevin Garnett simply meant to convey that trade interest in Garnett may not be as strong as expected, since rival general managers aren't convinced he'll play out his contract. Bucher also notes that while those GMs don't expect KG to finish his contract, that doesn't mean they expect him to retire this summer.
In his latest mailbag, Ira Winderman of the South Florida Sun Sentinel discusses the Heat's trade options and the team's signing of Jarvis Varnado to a rest-of-season contract.
Sam Smith of Bulls.com has his own mailbag up, which includes his thoughts on the Bulls' potential interest in Greg Oden and the possibility of the team re-signing Nate Robinson this summer.
Yannis Koutroupis of HoopsWorld takes a look at which players may be on the move next.

GMs: ‘No Chance’ Garnett Plays Out Contract

January 30th, 2013 at 10:28pm CST by Chuck Myron

Two GMs who spoke to Ric Bucher of 95.7 The Game believe there's "no chance" that Kevin Garnett plays the final two seasons of the three-year, $36MM contract he signed this past offseason (Sulia link). The executives believe the 36-year-old won't be able to coax any more out of his aging legs, and wouldn't want to hang around as an albatross to the Celtics. The GMs also aren't expecting any team to take him on in a trade, given his outsized salary, though only $6MM of his $12MM for 2014/15 is guaranteed.

If Garnett were to walk away, the Celtics would still be on the hook for the guaranteed portion of his deal, unless the two sides arrange a buyout. Clearly the dynamics in Boston have changed after Rajon Rondo's ACL injury, though Celtics basketball president Danny Ainge is reportedly waiting to evaluate this year's post-Rondo team before making a move. The specter of Garnett's looming retirement may prompt Ainge to decide the championship window for this iteration of the Celtics has finally closed.

Garnett, in his 18th season, is averaging 15.0 points and 7.3 rebounds in 30.4 minutes a game. He also chips in 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocks every night and remains the linchpin of the Celtics defense, which allows the 10th-fewest points per game in the league. Still, his 18.7 PER, his lowest since his second season in the league, indicates that he isn't as efficient as he once was, and he's been unable to lift Boston to better than a 22-23 record this year.

Not counting this year's salary, Garnett has earned in excess of $291MM over his career, according to Basketball-Reference.com. That's a figure Bucher believes is the most any NBA player has ever made. Others will soon pass him for that distinction, to be sure, but it's enough of a sum to suggest that Garnett may be willing to leave a significant portion of his current contract on the table if he's ready to hang it up.