Lakers: Kevin Garnett Chose Between Celtics And Lakers In 2007
Kobe and KG? It almost happened in the summer of 2007, before what ultimately became several exciting seasons of Kobe vs. KG.
Power forward/center Kevin Garnett, an NBA superstar who skipped college to expedite what would turn out to be a long and lucrative pro career, found himself at something of a crossroads in the 2007 offseason. And it almost involved joining forces with another NBA superstar who had skipped college to expedite what would turn out to be a long and lucrative pro career.
Garnett had reached his peak with the Minnesota Timberwolves during an MVP campaign in the 2003-04 season, wherein he took his Minnesota Timberwolves to a Western Conference Finals appearance against Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, Karl Malone, Gary Payton, and the rest of your Los Angeles Lakers.
By 2007, Garnett had missed the playoffs for three straight seasons, despite continuing to be one of the best 10 players in the league. He was itching for a change, and was set to request a trade from the team that selected him with the fifth pick in the 1995 draft. Bryant, meanwhile, had taken control of the Lakers, with team president Mitch Kupchak having shipped out beloved All-NBA center O'Neal. But he was still looking for another All-Star talent to suit up alongside him. Garnett could have been that talent.
It all came down to two teams: your Los Angeles Lakers (Garnett has long maintained an offseason residence in Malibu) or the Boston Celtics, who were making moves to build a championship roster around their frustrated longtime All-NBA star, small forward Paul Pierce.
During a conversation on the BetMGM Unleashed Podcast with Olivia Harlan Dekker and Jerry Ferrara (a.k.a. Turtle from "Entourage"), Garnett broke down his decision:
Here's the pertinent quote:
"Before I made a decision to leave Minnesota, I wanted to actually understand the whole play, like, 'What are my options? What's real, what's not real?' And then it was down to Boston and L.A. and I wanted to talk to Kobe, and I think he was in China at the time, doing something for Nike or his tour or something," Garnett said.
"And I had to make some decisions so I just put a couple of calls in to him," he continued. "I just gave him my respects [regarding] his schedule. When I couldn't actually get in contact with him, and it was just taking so long to be able to have a conversation with him, I had to make a decision. So I looked at it like it was a bigger, and probably [better] longevity play, with Boston. And I had to make the decision, but yeah I wanted to play with Kobe."
Instead, Garnett signed off on a trade to the Celtics, where, along with Pierce, Ray Allen, and Rajon Rondo, he would lead the team to several deep playoff runs, including two Finals appearances against Bryant's Lakers in 2008 and 2010. Garnett was named the 2008 Defensive Player of the Year and won the title during his first Boston season.
"The first time we played each other after I had got to Boston, I think it was either Christmas or something," Garnett details. "He's like, 'Man why you ain't call me?' I was like, 'Man I don't want to hear that shit.. Man, stop, you saw my messages. Your bodyguard, your security, they told you, I know they did.'... 'Man, you didn't want to come to L.A.' 'Yes I did. How you gonna tell me what I wanted? I chased you dog. What you want me to do man? You want me to come to China?'"
The Big Ticket enjoyed a storied 21-year Hall of Fame career, during which he was a 15-time All-Star, nine-time All-NBA honoree, a one-time MVP and a one-time Defensive Player of the Year. Garnett boasts career averages of 17.8 points, 10 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.3 steals a night. He did after all go to two Finals with Boston. But what if he had been the superstar to be dealt to L.A., not Pau Gasol?
He was a better defender than Gasol, though Gasol's defensive acumen during L.A.'s three straight Finals appearances from 2008-10 is a bit underrated, and Garnett was also a lethal jump shooter. Gasol was younger and remained an All-Star through 2016, when Garnett was wrapping up his career as Karl-Anthony Towns's backup on the Timberwolves. Either way, I think it's safe to say Garnett would have still appeared in multiple NBA Finals.
