This was bound to happen. Most didn’t think it would be a week into his retirement, but former NBA player Kevin Garnett already has a standing offer to become an assistant coach in the Association.
That offer comes from none other than Tyronn Lue and the defending champion Cleveland Cavaliers.
“I talked to him (Garnett) about it,” Lue said on Thursday, via ESPN. “I know his wife is pushing for it a lot. Brandi is pushing for it, trying to get him to come and coach. He says he’s not ready yet. He goes back — ‘I might do it’ — but he’s back and forth. We’ll see. But I’d definitely make a spot for him if he wanted to come back and coach.”
As the report notes, Cleveland has a full coaching staff as it prepares to defend its title from a season ago. This doesn’t mean Garnett can’t be brought on in an unofficial capacity.
Garnett, a 15-time All-Star, retired from the NBA and the Minnesota Timberwolves at the age of 40 last week.
If he decides to go through with it and take the offer, it would likely be one of the quickest turnarounds from player to coach in NBA history.
There’s also no real reason to believe Garnett can’t make the transition. He has the on-court experience, and was seen as a team leader during his two decades in the Association.