Brooklyn Nets: Kevin Garnett Will Have a Much Bigger Role This Season

By Joseph Martinez @BKN_Martinez08 on October 12, 2014

Last season with Jason Kidd at the helm, Kevin Garnett wasn’t involved much. His playing time was cut down due to his age. He didn’t play in many back-to-back games. So, he wasn’t able to get a good rhythm pretty much all season and he suffered back spasms late in the season that caused him to miss an extended period of time.

Now with new head coach Lionel Hollins, things will be different for Garnett. Hollins has already come out and said that KG will be the starting power forward for the Brooklyn Nets shooting down those rumors that Mason Plumlee would possibly be starting. Hollins also has said he expects KG to play well more than 20 minutes a game and that he’ll play in back to backs.

No matter how old he is, Kevin Garnett will always find a way to make his presence felt on the court — whether it be by his great defensive skills or his amazing intensity that is still there after almost 20 years in the league. Garnett has always made his voice be heard. It’s hard to do that when you’re not on the court as much, though. That’s why Hollins fits this job perfectly. He’s the perfect coach for KG.

KG makes sacrifices if he has to so he can help the team win but we all know he wants to be out on the court contributing as much as possible. He’s really a perfect fit for the Nets as he’s just the perfect mentor Brook Lopez has always needed. Garnett is aggressive and a tough minded player. Lopez on the other hand has been known to be “soft” or not “physical” enough. A player like Garnett could help that right away. You didn’t see it much last year because Lopez suffered a broken foot early in the season. But if Garnett is on the floor heavy minutes with Lopez, expect it to make a huge difference.

Every team needs a guy like KG on their team. A leader. A spokesperson. A mentor for the young guys. It’s hard to find players like him with so much intensity and heart for the game of basketball. It doesn’t come along that often. Garnett doesn’t plan on retiring soon. As long as he continues to have the passion to keep going, then why stop? Only KG knows when he’ll lose passion for the game of basketball and honestly, I don’t see that happening anytime soon.

 

Joseph Martinez is a Brooklyn Nets/NBA writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @BKN_Martinez08, find him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.