Robb: Kevin Garnett's Minnesota Return Provides Fitting Finish To Great Career
BOSTON (CBS) – Fairy tale endings are becoming more and more rare in sports these days. The changing landscape of free agency, salary caps and savvy front offices who care more about recent production, rather than personal attachments to aging core pieces, have kept many players from finishing their careers out where they began.
Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki may be two of the final NBA stars that are able to go wire-to-wire with their respective franchises during Hall-of-Fame careers. Paul Pierce wanted the chance to do it in Boston but was sent packing for a trade offer that Danny Ainge couldn't refuse from the Brooklyn Nets. Pierce will likely be back with the Celtics in some capacity during his lifetime, but the odds of that happening before his career is over is slim at best.
All of this is a fascinating backdrop to the dream scenario that occurred on trade deadline day. Kevin Garnett, the former heart and soul of Minnesota, who was traded away from the Timberwolves in 2007, was dealt back to the still rebuilding franchise nearly eight years later for power forward Thaddeus Young.
Garnett had to waive a no-trade clause in order to allow the trade to go through and join the 12-42 Wolves, but word came out Thursday afternoon that the former Celtic would welcome a trip back home.
On the surface, the move by the Wolves doesn't make much sense. Garnett is 38-years-old. He's playing just 20.3 minutes per game. He routinely misses back-to-back games. He's the last kind of player most rebuilding teams would want to add to their roster.
Wolves' president of basketball operations Flip Saunders ignored all of those facts and focused on a bigger picture. Minnesota, as an NBA franchise, has had nothing go well for it since Garnett left town. Al Jefferson tore his ACL one year after arriving in the KG trade, and then the team sold low on him. Former general manager David Kahn handed out bad contract after bad contract and blew draft picks. A building block like Kevin Love asked his way out of town. It's all been heartache for Minnesota fans
Garnett's return to the region does not change the rebuilding planbut it does give the fanbase something to look forward to in the midst of rebuilding for the next couple years. Garnett will be more than just a bench player and fun flashback for Wolves fans. He's going to help mold the team's next generation of players, including no. 1 pick Andrew Wiggins.
"If you know KG, [the current Wolves players] are not going to have a choice," Saunders said of Garnett's leadership. "It's kind of the way he is. Certain people have the ability. They're born leaders. They basically don't filter anything."
It's an unorthodox strategy, but one from which rebuilding teams around the league could potentially learn. Young players that don't have veterans to look up to and set the tone can lead to bad habits and locker room turmoil. Garnett won't allow that to happen on a franchise he helped built, and hopes to own someday.
Minnesota sending Garnett a life raft at the trade deadline also had to be a relief for the veteran in a way. The power forward had to go through an awful situation in Brooklyn the last couple season. With Paul Pierce departing last year in free agency, and inconsistent production from his younger teammates, Garnett was falling into obscurity with this group.
Back in Minnesota, he'll be appreciated for however long he decides to play for. It's what he deserves, and it should result in a memorable end to a legendary career.
Brian Robb covers the Celtics for CBS Boston and contributes to NBA.com, among other media outlets. You can follow him on Twitter @CelticsHub.
