I don't know about you, but I'm still feeling the after effects of the Warriors not winning the Kevin Garnett sweepstakes and I don't see this topic dying easily for Warriors Nation- especially when The Boston Globe puts out pieces titled Warriors: Not Enough: Bid to land Garnett failed.
Use your hops for some quotes from The Boston Globe piece and some more pointless "What if's?" that I know you all love.
It would've been an even greater time out!
First of all let me give Mullie, Nellie, and the rest of the Warriors front office some props. I believe they tried hard, real hard to bring KG to the Bay:
Before Garnett was dealt to Boston in the offseason, Golden State quietly made a strong push to acquire the 10-time All-Star.
"When you have a chance to get one of the three best players in the league, of course you try," said Warriors executive vice president of basketball operations Chris Mullin. "The fact is, he was dealt somewhere else. You can't make someone deal it to you. You move forward. When those great players come up, you're automatically interested."
Let's take a look at one of the rumored Warriors offers as well as some others from the Lakers, Bulls, and Mavs:
Eager to add the future Hall of Famer, the Celtics, Warriors, Lakers, Bulls, and Mavericks were the main teams showing interest, according to an NBA source.
The source said the Warriors' package for Garnett included forward Al Harrington, center Andris Biedrins, guard Monta Ellis, and the 18th pick in this year's draft. The Lakers dangled forward Lamar Odom and center Andrew Bynum but couldn't acquire a high draft pick to sweeten the offer. Chicago spoke of sending Ben Gordon or Luol Deng, plus Tyrus Thomas, Thabo Sefolosha, and P.J. Brown in a sign-and-trade and their ninth overall pick for Garnett and another player. Dallas offered anybody but 2007 NBA MVP Dirk Nowitzki.
So let's say the Warriors were able to nab KG without dealing JRich to the BETcats for another project (not that this was ever even possible, but we're playing "what if's" here). We'd be looking at:
PG: Baron Davis
SG: Jason Richardson
SF: Stephen Jackson
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: Chris Webber? Haha, well let's not go there.
Bench: Kelenna Azubuike, Matt Barnes, Mickael Pietrus, Gary Payton?, and possibly a few other vets looking to win a ring without having to live in the frigid Boston
Or maybe crazy old Nellie (I mean that in a good way) would go small with:
PG: Baron Davis
SG: Kelenna Azubuike
SF: Jason Richardson
PF: Stephen Jackson
C: Kevin Garnett
I like what I see... or at least what I'm dreaming.
Another previously circulated rumor:
Another NBA source said the Wolves would have made the deal if the Warriors drafted Florida State forward Al Thornton and put him in the package. Golden State, however, drafted North Carolina forward Brandon Wright.
The source added that the Warriors tried unsuccessfully to trade Wright's draft rights to teams drafting after them for Thornton. The Clippers drafted Thornton 14th and had no interest in dealing him.
If this was the case that would mean JR wouldn't be in the Dubs KG to the Bay lineup, leaving them with:
PG: Baron Davis
SG: Kelenna Azubuike
SF: Stephen Jackson
PF: Kevin Garnett
C: DJ Mbenga?
It's thin, but hey, I'd still roll with it.
Still, it looks like KG wasn't all that sold that these "what if" Warrior squads would be as good as the current Boson trio (although what is he supposed to say now- that he'd rather be a Warrior? So I wouldn't read too much into it.):
Garnett strongly respects Warriors star guard Baron Davis. But strong doubts about whether Golden State, which made the playoffs last season for the first time since 1995, could compete for a title immediately made him uncomfortable with a trade there. Even as talented a duo as Garnett and Davis could have been, they still needed a much better supporting cast to overcome the stellar Western Conference likes of reigning NBA champion San Antonio, Phoenix and Dallas to compete for an NBA title. Despite Garnett's power, the Warriors still could have rolled the dice to make the trade and hoped to convince him to stay.
"It was a possibility," said Garnett, 31. "But I wanted to go to a contender. I wanted to go somewhere where we were going to be of substance. I wasn't going to go to a team who I was going to wait on three or four years.
"I don't have three or four years to wait. I have to try to get it now."
I believe the Warriors would've have a fun, fun year this season if KG was on board and the Roaracle Arena, the Bay Area, and our great Indian cuisine could've convinced K to the G to stay here till infinity, but again that's just another "what if" projection.
Excuse while I go over to the corner and cry.
What would've been the most you'd offer for KG this past offseason?
Many thanks to GSoMer superduperman for digging up this link and getting the discussion jumpstarted in Warriors and Garnett, who we offered....
99% or rumors never happen, but 99% of them are fun to talk about!
From the GSoM Vault:
- KG Loves India?! We Love KG!!
- The Bloggers' Bidding War for Kevin Garnett: Bring KG to the Bay!
- Help Kevin Garnett Find the Warriors
- Rumor: Kevin Garnett Interested in the Warriors
- Jim Gray Says Warriors in the KG Talks
- Rumor: KG almost a Warrior on Draft Night
- WHAT IF... Kevin Garnett joined Golden State?
- Rumor: At least 4 teams had better offers for KG