Kevin Garnett Is Smarter Than Us

Let's not mince words here: it's become abundantly clear that the Wolves have squandered one of the greatest basketball players ever. And unless they trade him away out of mercy and gratitude, we'll never see this once-in-a-generation talent redeemed. His clocks is ticking, and for serious NBA aficianados, pitying the Big Ticket has become an ethical must.

KG himself wants us to turn those frowns upside down:

Until further notice, Kevin Garnett advises all the media folks who are guessing at his unhappiness or offering sympathy for his plight with the Wolves to knock it off. "I don't want anybody feeling sorry for me. I'm perfectly fine, man," he said after Sunday night's game.

As Mike McGraw of the Daily Herald puts it, "The NBA community almost seems to be clamoring for Garnett to be moved to the Bulls or the Lakers." But KG is reminding his supporters that a change in zip code wouldn't ensure him (or his fans) any relief.

"There isn't any guarantee that you're going to win if you go to a new team," Garnett said. "The teams that are supposed to be the best in the West, some of those teams are dealing with some of the things we're dealing with: chemistry, ball movement, all that stuff. That's around the league. It ain't like you're going to another league. Don't feel sorry for me. I'm out here busting my (butt)."

It's nice to think Garnett's not desperately chasing a ring because of his loyalty to his franchise, or out of the kind of dignity that certain Miami Heat vets were lacking. This makes me think, though, that he's also just being realistic about his future. Disheartening, in a way, but makes me respect him even more. As if that were possible.

Oddly, no one seems to care one way or the other if AI ever gets vindicated.