Brooklyn Nets newcomer and NBA veteran Kevin Garnett is as competitive as any player who played before him, so it's no surprise that he's not pleased with talk of reducing his minutes this season in hopes of preserving his body for the playoffs.
Kevin Garnett not keen on minutes restrictions for Nets
For first-year Nets head coach Jason Kidd, managing his veterans’ minutes is going to be a challenge. Kevin Garnett has already voiced his displeasure of the notion.
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According to USA Today, the perennial All-Star met with head coach Jason Kidd recently and discussed the matter:
“It didn’t go too well,” Garnett said. “I understand what he’s saying. He just wants to make sure I’m durable. ... I just don’t want to be told anything. I think I’ve earned the right to have an opinion on something that I’m doing. From a chemistry standpoint, I think it’s important for me to be out there with everybody.”
Garnett came to Brooklyn to win and he feels that he gives the Nets the best chance to do so when he’s on the floor. It makes sense that he’d be upset with any notion of keeping him off the court as a precautionary measure, even if it makes sense from a coaching standpoint.
Last season, Garnett played just 29.7 minutes per game, the lowest since his rookie season when he was just 19 years-old and played 28.7. The 37-year-old missed 14 games in 2012-13 with the Boston Celtics and hasn’t played in all 82 since the 2004-05 season with the Minnesota Timberwolves.
The Nets acquired him to be a force in the postseason, so whether he likes it or not, limiting him may become a reality rather than a topic of discussion between player and coach.
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