The Ticket Cares

August 2, 2007

As he spoke during Tuesday's press conference about being appreciated, Kevin Garnett got a little emotional.

Get used to it.

The word from inside the Timberwolves was unanimous in painting a picture of an intense star who is far deeper than the often superficial world of professional sports. Kevin Garnett, they said, gives a damn.

``He's an incredibly loyal person, and he takes that very seriously,'' said one Minnesota source. ``If he believes you're with him, he opens up and gives you everything. The only problem with that is that Kevin can get upset when he perceives a slight, even if it's not a real one.''

The break in the loyalty chain is what ultimately got him to Boston. As Garnett said, he wanted to finish his career with the Wolves but realized he couldn't after learning of the club's plans.

Garnett said he didn't want to go through a rebuilding process. The fact is, the Timberwolves didn't want him to go through it either. Owner Glen Taylor had decided he wanted to move on without Garnett and his contract, and, according to sources, that notion was cemented at a board meeting last week when minority owners spoke up and wondered why Garnett wasn't gone already.

Some inside the Wolves were even upset with Garnett for not warming to the Celtics before the draft. If he had, they would have gotten the fifth overall pick in the deal, meaning they would have had Jeff Green to add to their young mix, and the Wolves personnel people liked Green (and the guy they did get, Corey Brewer) very much.

Garnett was said to be very angry himself at the time of the draft. According to one involved party, he vented on Taylor, saying his distaste at the time for the Celts was in part because Kevin McHale once played for them.

``That may sound crazy, but that's how intense KG can get about things,'' said the source. ``He really was committed to the Timberwolves, and when he found out the team wanted to trade him he felt betrayed. You can understand it in a way, and that's just how he is. But sometimes a team has to make a move and change directions, and the owner felt he couldn't do that with Kevin's contract on the books. I think that really hurt KG.

``But the Celtics did the right thing by letting things settle down. Once Kevin realized that staying in Minnesota wasn't going to happen, he started looking around.''

The Timberwolves already knew the best deal they could get was in Boston, and that fact is what kept the transaction alive during the quiet times.

``I think once KG realizes how much the Celtics really want him, he'll really settle in there well,'' said someone close to the situation. ``You'll be amazed at how fast he becomes a Celtic. I think Kevin really likes belonging. He takes relationships very seriously.''

Garnett actually takes a lot of things seriously. This is the same guy who was distraught when Dean Garrett was traded from the Wolves, looking toward Garrett's empty locker well after he'd left town.

``I don't think Kevin likes change too much,'' said a source. ``He grows attached to the people and things around him. He's just very intense in a lot of ways, even at practice (there are published reports he's gotten into scrapes with teammates). There were times when you could see him holding two cups of water in the huddle because he was so into it I think his hands were shaking.

``He brings that intensity every day - practices, games, everything. The Celtics are going to love how seriously he takes defense. He's really a driven guy.''

It's fairly clear, as well, from talking to Minnesotans, that Celtics followers will warm to a player who more than matches their passion for the game.