Kevin Garnett was asked about prospective free agent pickups for the Brooklyn Nets Saturday, and he's supportive of adding either Glen Davis, who was waived by the Magic Friday, or Jason Collins, who remains a free agent since revealing he's gay last summer.
"I think Big Baby can help us,” Garnett said after Nets practice on Saturday. According to Garnett, his discussion with Davis on the matter was more happenstance than any kind of hard recruiting pitch.
When informed of how Garnett’s former coach, Doc Rivers, might also be pursuing Davis, Garnett wryly mused, “I guess Baby’s a hot commodity right now,” before continuing the praise of his former Celtics teammate. “His basketball IQ fits into what we do here. He’s a talker, he communicates, he understands, he knows championship basketball. So yeah, I think he can definitely help us.”
Garnett was also complimentary of Jason Collins, who worked out for the Nets on Thursday. He actually spoke of the parallels between the two players.
“I played with JC too, very similar to Baby. Probably doesn’t have the distance in some of the skill level, but, great competitor, plays team basketball, is for the team, great guy, great character. Those two can definitely help this team.”
Collins’ signing would make him the NBA’s first active, openly gay player. Garnett expounded on the necessity of players getting a chance regardless of background, saying, "I think it's important that anybody who has the capabilities and skill level to have a chance to [do] something he's great at." He added, “I think it would be bias, and in a sense, racist, if you was to keep that opportunity from a person."
via KG ponders 'Big Baby,' Collins possibilities - Brooklyn Nets Blog - ESPN New York.
That's a strong response from Garnett, and an interesting one, when you consider the implication of discrimination there. Ultimately, the decision on who to add will be up to Billy King and the Nets' front office, but considering their aggressive stance, particularly at the deadline, it looks like one of the players will be in uniform soon.
