Should Kevin Garnett Have Left the Celtics for the Clippers?

The trade deadline in any sport is often full of rumors, leaked reports of teams trying to deal players, and the media speculating as much as possible. With the larger-than-life personalities in the NBA, trades are even more important, as they can change the makeup of an entire team's culture. One of the biggest trade rumors leading up to this week's NBA trade deadline was the possibility of Boston Celtics forward Kevin Garnett going to the Los Angeles Clippers.

However, the deadline came and went with Garnett still on the roster in Boston. Garnett was the 2004 NBA MVP. He is a fifteen-time NBA All-Star, and has been voted to the NBA All-Defensive Team nine times. He has been an All NBA Team member four times, and he was a major part of the Celtics 2008 NBA Championship. It's animpressive record all around, and he could have competed for more titles if he had had a more competent team when he was on the Minnesota Timberwolves.

It's really no surprise that Garnett stayed in Boston, but the Clippers were certainly interested. One possible trade involved DeAndre Jordan and Eric Bledsoe going to Boston in exchange for Garnett going to Los Angeles. This could have given the Celtics some much-needed youth, as their core of Garnett and Paul Pierce are rapidly aging, finding themselves unable to defeat the Miami Heat in last year's Eastern Conference Finals. Ray Allen, another component of their Big Three, had already left for Miami.

Chris Paul, the point guard of the Clippers, was also interested in seeing KG in Los Angeles. It is reported that he contacted Garnett leading up to the trade deadline in order to survey his interested in leaving the Celtics. But Garnett has always displayed loyalty to his teams, mentors, and coaches; and he has a no-trade clause in his contract which he would have had to waive in order for any trade to happen.

Pierce, KG, coach Doc Rivers, and much of the Celtics team, organization, and fanbase want to keep them together in order to make another run at a championship. However, they currently sit at seventh in the Eastern Conference and would have to match up against the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs.

Unfortunately, there is little chance of the Celtics getting far into the playoffs this year. They are 29-26 overall, and point guard Rajon Rondo is now out with a torn ACL. They are old and injured, and Kevin Garnett staying in Boston is not helping either the Celtics or the Clippers have the best chance to win an NBA title.

This is why KG should have allowed a trade to go through: to make both teams closer to playoff contenders. The Clippers have a better chance of winning in the postseason, as they are 39-18 and are second in the Western Conference behind the San Antonio Spurs. They could have used Garnett's shooting and defensive skills, and added depth to their already formidable roster.

In the end, though, it seems that Kevin Garnett will retire as a Celtic after starting his career and making his name in Minnesota as a member of the Timberwolves. But we rank NBA players based on the number of rings they have, among other factors. With a year or two spent in LA, Garnett may have been able to add to his NBA Championship total. His decision to stay in Boston has most likely sealed his fate as a one-time champion, although that is nothing to denegrate in the least.