The fine folks at CelticsHub compiled all the Garnett quotes from today's practice media session:
Can this team as constructed go very far?
"My own personal view on this team, I won't share them. 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 [from them]. Danny talks to key guys here about decision-making and that's cool. He always give us important information and has been upfront with us. I don't anticipate that changing anytime soon."
If Danny has a deal that's best for the team moving forward, yu'd accept going somewhere else?
"When you define his best and what I feel is best, maybe that's different. I won't comment on things that haven't happened. But you know, this is what I am, so don't get that messed up all right?"
KG's the kind of vet that doesn't talk in player speak. He's honest and doesn't mince words, but he's also very careful when it comes to talking about things that he doesn't have control over. If you read between the lines, there are two things that certainly stick out: 1) there's a gap between what KG and the management thinks this team is capable of, 2) he's fiercely loyal to the Celtics and specifically Paul Pierce and 3) rumors are rumors and he doesn't think anything is going to happen.
Considering Doc's comments about all this talk being "silly" and you've got a team, a coach, and a GM that (right now) have rallied together to win games right now rather than think of the future. I love this quote from Doc:
Rivers said he'd be surprised if the current roster is different from the one that'll be in place at the end of the season, quipping that the most he and Ainge have discussed is the San Francisco 49ers' loss in the Super Bowl on Sunday.
"Yeah, I would be (surprised), but, again, you don't know," Rivers said. "But the fact that Danny and I have only talked about how (49ers quarterback Colin) Kaepernick should have run a couple times in the fourth quarter tells me where we're at right now."
Yesterday, I wrote a little bit about the possibilities of a trade. Ainge would have to absolutely be wow'd by an offer and those offers are only going to come from fringe contenders that think that Pierce and Garnett are the final missing pieces to lifting the Larry O'Brien AND have young talent that Danny's interested in. There are so many if's and maybe's there. In fact, there are only a few things that we're certain about right now: Kevin Garnett is a Celtic, Paul Pierce is a Celtic, they both want to remain Celtics, and they're confident that they can win now.
Here's a rumor for you, Twitter. Spread it around, bloggers. There's a team out there that thinks KG and PP are integral parts to a championship. That team is right here in Boston.
Kevin Garnett is a Celtic, Paul Pierce is a Celtic, and they both want to remain Celtics.
KG was pinged on trade rumors today. He closed convo by saying, "This is what I am (grabbing jersey). Just don’t get that messed up, aight?"
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) February 5, 2013