NBA legend Kevin Garnett has revealed that he seriously considered joining the Los Angeles Lakers before his move to the Boston Celtics in 2007, but difficulties communicating with Kobe Bryant ultimately influenced his decision.
Garnett spent the first 12 seasons of his NBA career with the Minnesota Timberwolves, establishing himself as one of the league’s premier players.
However, after years of limited playoff success, he began considering whether remaining in Minnesota was the best option for his career.
The former MVP explained that a conversation with longtime friend Chauncey Billups helped convince him that it was time to pursue an opportunity elsewhere.
“I talked to Chauncey, and Chauncey was a real friend. We was in the summertime, we was all working out, and he was like, ‘Man, you got to move on, man. I know you don’t want to, but you’re going to look up and you’re going to have exhausted all your great years here, bro.’ That was the first time I heard that where I actually listened to it and it touched me.”
After taking Billups’ advice seriously, Garnett contacted his representative to begin exploring possible destinations.
Boston quickly emerged as an attractive option, particularly because of his familiarity with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.
“Then I just called Kevin and said, ‘Yeah, let’s go ahead and start to find another situation. This ain’t working for me.’ So then him and Danny were friends, and they started that, and it made sense. I had played with Paul before and I had played with Ray, but not officially. Ray’s from South Carolina, so I knew him. So I liked it.”
Garnett acknowledged that Boston was not his only potential destination.
The Phoenix Suns and Lakers were also among the possibilities, but his inability to reach Bryant became a factor in his decision.
“I liked the idea more than the other options I had. I think I had a Phoenix option. I had a Lakers option. Couldn’t get Kobe on the phone. He was acting real arrogant. So I was like, ‘You know what? I’m just going to [go with] them.’ And that’s how I ended up in Boston. It was perfect.”
Before officially joining the Celtics, Garnett also sought advice from former Boston star Antoine Walker, who provided insight into Pierce’s personality and what it would take to build a successful partnership.
“I had to holler at Antoine before I went to Boston, though. That’s when he gave me the lick on P. Like, ‘If you’re going to play with Paul, Paul cares about these things.’ He told me what worked with them and what didn’t work, and I took that to heart.”
Garnett was eventually traded to Boston in the summer of 2007, joining Pierce and Allen to form one of the NBA’s most formidable trios.
The move produced immediate results. The Celtics finished the 2007-08 regular season with a league-best 66-16 record before defeating Bryant and the Lakers in six games in the NBA Finals.
