6/26/07

Go Westward KG, Godspeed

News all over this vast series of tubes has it that the Lakers and Wolves are in protracted talks trying to broker a deal that would land the Minny's greatest professional athlete, Kevin Garnett, in La-La Land. And to this, I have one word of advice for KG: Go.

Blasphemous? I don't think so, not from a T-Wolves Fan perspective. How many titles have the T-Wolves won with KG? Zero. How many titles can they expect to win between now and 2009 when KG will leave the team in free agency? None. This team is so saddled with bad contracts there is no way we can ever expect to build a decent team around KG. So if he stays it's another year, maybe two, of KG before he walks and the wolves get nothing.

BUT, many of us are not really t-wolves fans at all, we're KG fans. But ya know what? If you really like the man, let him go find a title elsewhere. Is LA the place for that? Probably not, they'd be giving up whatever young talent they have to put out a two-man show of Kobe and KG. Mind you, this is a pretty potent 1-2 punch, but not the stuff NBA titles are made of (Shaq and Kobe had numerous valuable role players; MJ & Scottie, ditto). Phoenix would probably be the best bet, but it ain't happening without a 3rd team involved.

SO why should I cheer for KG to go Westward and work his leverage into a trade with LA? Selfishly, I bet there will be a number of televised Lakers games in Seattle, so I get to see the Big Ticket lining up against the Clips, Golden State, Seattle, and Portland on a pretty regular basis.

But I think it will also be an interesting sociological experiment (not to mention something I'd like to bet on in Vegas), because we'll all get to see KG under the microscope of Hollywood's paparazzi and witness how he responds. 'Sotan's are far too reverent and passive to ever disrupt the Big Fella or make too much hay out of his private life, but rest assured La-La Land's "media" will have no heart. We are about to watch one of the most intense individuals, up close in personal, with something new in the tabloids every time you wait in line at the grocery store. It's gonna be awesome. I'd wager that from the time KG first dons the purple and gold, we're looking at about 10 months until he punches out his first paparazzi. 2 years and 4 more broken faced photographers later, KG is doing time in LA County lockdown or us under house arrest in his Malibu home. Not that I would ever wish jail time on someone, and especially not my own basketball Jesus, but watching KG flip out on E! True Hollywood story would be pretty entertaining.

Matter of fact, I'd like to parlay that bet into the line on the first time KG slaps Kobe upside the head in practice. My guess is that shortly after his 3rd season with LA & still title-less, two of the bigger egos in the world will have had just about enough of one-another and implode. KG is no stranger to fuckin' people up in practice. He decked Wally, Kandi and probably many others at some point in his career when they have challenged his alpha-dogness, and I can't wait to see Kobe's busted up face on the cover of US Weekly. Shaq is a gentle giant whereas KG is the embodiment of intensity. Kobe is a dick head. So while Shaq just aired his dirty laundry in the press, KG will straight up break Kobe. And it's gonna be great TV, I can't wait.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am with you, and think that poor KG has got to be set free, and I think most Minnesotans will agree. We are very generous, after all, and he's really put in his time.

I'd love to see him take out Kobe. As you might guess, lots of women have some serious issues with Kobe. He deserves a punch in the head even more than Wally Sczssczzcerbiak did, which is saying something. I thought Wally was crazy hot until it became obvious that he is a superhuman d-bag.

Slurry B said...

Wally Suburbiak belongs in Minnesota where the fashion turtleneck will never go out of style.

A lot of posts today, DC Josh. I really have to disagree with you on the KG/Kobe potential. I see a Laker team with both players (even minus Bynum and Odom who are offered to Minnesota, supposedly) as immediate contenders. By himself, Kobe got the Lakers into the playoffs. Odom, easily the second best player was out for much of the season with injuries. A line up with Parker/Farmar (a rising PG), Kobe, KG, Radmonovich (decent post player), and Luke Walton (one of the best role players in the game) can win a championship. Period. End of debate. Slurry wins.

Unfortunately, the debate looks irrelevant at this point as trade talks have cooled. But for the sake of discussion, KG in Los Angeles would certainly be an interesting thing. I think he enjoys the polite "anonymity" Minnesota gives him and the spotlight might be a bit much for him to take. However, LA would LOVE him and with all the positive press he'd get, he would become one of the most beloved figures in sports. He does so many great things for the community that go under the radar because he doesn't care to publicize them.

I always laugh at those NBA Cares commercials with various players building homes and reading to kids. I think it's great they're doing it and I'm certainly not knocking the need for or act of community service. But I am 90% certain that, because community service is obligatory in the NBA, the only time many players do it is when the cameras are rolling for the commercial.

Anyway, long post. I need my own blog.

Maybe one like this: http://iheartkg.blogspot.com/