When people haven’t been talking about Beyoncé and power outages on Monday, they seem to have been planning Kevin Garnett trades. Particularly with the Clippers after reports leaked out that the two sides have talked. Those two sides are nowhere close to a deal right now, but that doesn’t stop people from speculating.
Neither will this, but it is more likely to kill a deal.
Kevin Garnett is one of a handful of NBA players with a no-trade clause in his contract — he can’t be moved unless he waives it. And long-time NBA reporter Shaun Powell tweets he would only do so under specific circumstances.
Told Kevin Garnett will not waive no trade unless Pierce is dealt, and then only to LA. Lives in Malibu.
— Shaun Powell (@Powell2daPeople) February 4, 2013
Los Angeles would have to be the Clippers, the Lakers are not trading for another aging front line player, especially one with a big salary that cuts into their 2014 summer cap space.
Speaking with former Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy today — he and Justin had me on the “Off the Dribble” show on XM Radio — he said the move makes sense for the Clippers if they think this puts them over the top. Right now, could the Clippers beat Oklahoma City in a seven game series? If they think the answer is no and they think Garnett changes that equation by changing the defensive end of the court (even though the Clippers are a top five defense in the NBA over the course of the season).
I still think it is highly unlikely the Celtics make this bold a stroke at the deadline. I think it would be hard for them to get real value back in trades under that pressure. I think KG retires a Celtic, and that he may not wait until the end of this three-year contract to do so.