Earlier today all kinds of rumors surfaced that the Celtics were looking to trade Kevin Garnett. At today’s Celtics’ practice, Doc Rivers & Kevin Garnett talked to the media about the swirling rumors. Check out what they had to say…
According to Greg Payne at ESPN:
A frustrated Doc Rivers on Tuesday called the recent trade rumors swirling around the Boston Celtics’ stars “silly” and driven solely by the media, while a couple of the players who have been the subject of those rumors blew them off as just part of life at this time of year.
“All from [the media],” the Celtics’ coach said of trade rumors. “None from us. Really. I would like to say that. Sometimes I like [the media], sometimes, some of the stuff that happens is just silly. It really is. When I wake up in the morning and I hear a trade rumor that I haven’t heard in my office, that’s silly, and that’s what happens.”
Rivers continued: “I heard one report — I honestly did — that me, [Los Angeles Clippersguard] Chauncey [Billups], Kevin [Garnett] and Paul [Pierce] had dinner. And I was like, ‘I wish I would have known about it. That would have been terrific, because I would have made them pay and I could have had a free dinner.’
“But it’s just silly what goes on. And I don’t think it’s honestly [the Boston media]. I think someone can sit behind a computer and write something. The problem is, now you guys have to actually report it, which you shouldn’t do. But you do, and it becomes an issue.”
The hottest rumor making the rounds was the Clippers taking an interest in acquiring Garnett, a deal sources told ESPN had not been discussed by the two teams. According to a Sporting News report, the Clippers would send Eric Bledsoe and Caron Butler to Boston as part of the deal.
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“Well [Celtics president of basketball operations] Danny [Ainge] made it very, very obvious since day one, since he brought Ray Allen and myself here to be aligned with Paul [Pierce] that he was going to do whatever is best for this organization,” said Garnett, who can block any deal with his no-trade clause. “He’s always made that apparent, so I’ve always understood that. I bleed green, I die green, that’s what it is. But it is a business and when that crosses the paths, I deal with it. But trades are a part of this league. Every year you’re going to hear certain things. If I were y’all, I wouldn’t read too much into it.”
Garnett went on to explain that it’s common for trade rumors to pop up around this time of the season, with the Feb. 21 trade deadline less than three weeks away.
“It’s part of the year, All-Star [Game], right after All-Star you start to hear things, and some of it’s chatter, some of it’s real, and you just have to be able to block certain things out, be able to play through certain things,” Garnett said. “If it’s going to happen, it’s going to happen. It’s out of your control a lot of time. The things you do control, you control those — your play, obviously family, and if a situation comes up where you have to move, then you get ready for it.”
