Brooklyn Nets: 5 Reasons Signing Kevin Garnett Would Be Foolish

By (Featured Columnist) on May 14, 2012

2,717 reads

10Icon_comment

Previous
1 of 7
Next
143865059_crop_650x440
Could Kevin Garnett be the new face of the Brooklyn Nets?
Jim Rogash/Getty Images

The Brooklyn Nets are trying to rebuild, and with Kevin Garnett set to become a free agent they may be interested in signing Garnett as their veteran leader.

However, signing Garnett would be a bad move for a franchise looking to build for the long term.

He may help you sell tickets initially, but here are five reasons why signing the Big Ticket would be foolish for the Nets.

Garnett Is Too Old

KG will be 36 years old next season, and despite a recent resurgence he is not the same player he once was.

Garnett has given it his all this year mainly because he is on a championship-caliber team and he knows that if he gives 110 percent that there is a chance he could get his second coveted championship.

However, if he is on a mediocre team he would be less motivated to push through the grind that is the NBA season, and the Nets would get the Garnett that played poorly to start the season.

He Only Wants to Play on a Winning Team

Before the Celtics could acquire Garnett in 2007, they had to first acquire Ray Allen because Garnett wanted to play for a contender.

The Nets, despite having money to throw around, do not have the pieces needed to be a contender.

If Garnett is going to return next season, he will either return to the Celtics or go to a team where he is the final piece to the puzzle.

In Brooklyn, even if Deron Williams returns, KG would have to play a major role. He wants to be the third or fourth option—not the second one.

The Nets Need to Sign for the Long Term

The Nets need to bring back Deron Williams and another player in his 20s before they bring in KG.
The Nets need to bring back Deron Williams and another player in his 20s before they bring in KG.
Chris Chambers/Getty Images

Despite the veteran presence that Garnett would provide, the Nets need to sign players in their 20s that will be in Brooklyn for the long haul.

This is a rebuilding franchise, and they need to be signing or trading for players that will be on the roster when they become contenders.

Signing Garnett may be a band-aid option, but it would be at most a two-year deal. Then, when he either falls apart or retires, they would be pressured to fill a major void in their roster.

Unfortunately, this year’s free-agent class is lacking in star power, but signing an aging Garnett is not the solution.

He Is Too Expensive

Re-signing Brook Lopez will be too difficult if they spend on the Big Ticket
Re-signing Brook Lopez will be too difficult if they spend on the Big Ticket
Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

While Garnett may take a pay cut to return to the Celtics, a city and a team he loves, if the Nets want to lure him to Brooklyn they would have to overpay for his services.

Even though he has earned almost $300 million in his career, he knows that the Nets would be desperate and would force them to back a Brinks truck up to his house.

The Nets would be better served re-signing Brook Lopez, trying to re-sign Deron Williams and trading for or signing a secondary scorer. 

Deron Williams Would Leave

If the Nets had an opportunity to get the Minnesota version of KG, then this would make sense.
If the Nets had an opportunity to get the Minnesota version of KG, then this would make sense.
Harry How/Getty Images

Even though Garnett is a first-ballot Hall of Famer, he is old and running on fumes at this point in his career.

If the Nets sign the aging 7-footer, Deron Williams would leave.

Williams has already made it clear that he is considering leaving, and if the Nets want to make him stay in Brooklyn then they need to bring in players that he can play with for the next five years.

The only logical reason to sign KG is if the Nets re-sign Williams, Lopez, add another piece and are able to sign KG at the veteran minimum.

In that scenario, the Nets could use Garnett as a mentor to Lopez and hopefully teach him how to play defense.

 But don’t get your hopes up, Nets fans. That will never happen.

Begin Slideshow
Keep Reading
Flag
Props (0)
This article is

What is the duplicate article?

Why is this article offensive?

Where is this article plagiarized from?

Why is this article poorly edited?

Flag This Article
Brooklyn Nets Brooklyn Nets: Like this team?
Default-user-icon-comment
or to post a comment

10 Comments

There are no comments yet. Get the conversation started by leaving the first comment
Big
Loading comments...
just now posted just now
  • Loading...
  • Nobody has liked this comment yet
Cancel

This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete

Follow the Brooklyn Nets from B/R on Facebook

Follow the Brooklyn Nets from B/R on Facebook and get the latest updates straight to your newsfeed!

Brooklyn Nets

Subscribe Now

We will never share your email address

Thanks for signing up.

One Free Agent Each Team Is Most Hotly Linked to Hint: you can use arrow keys to navigate through this channel.