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Garnett admitted that he thought deeply about retiring this offseason, and needed an hour-long conversation with Pierce before waiving a no-trade clause. Garnett’s first choice was to follow Doc Rivers to the Clippers, but a trade was blocked by the NBA because coaches can’t be included in player swaps.
“I don’t like change much. Once I commit to something, I like to go full throttle,” Garnett said. “It’s unfortunate. But when I saw the Doc Rivers situation, I kind of knew the writing was on the wall. I have my connections there. It was tough leaving (Rajon) Rondo and other things. But like I said, it’s a new chapter, new things to embrace. That’s what I’m doing.”
To leave Boston, it took a contender — and both future Hall of Famers were bullish about Brooklyn’s potential. The mentality, as they both illustrated, is title or bust in season No. 1.
“We’re not talking about Eastern Conference Finals, we’re not talking about best record,” Pierce said. “We’re talking about championship here, and that’s what the expectation is when you put together a unit like this.”
Reported by Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News
