The intangible loss of Kevin Garnett

Kevin Garnett made it clear at a Minneapolis press conference Tuesday that his decision to leave Brooklyn and return to Minnesota had a lot to do with ownership -- his desire to perhaps join with Flip Saunders and buy the Timberwolves and the uncertainty of who will own the Nets.

Classy as ever, he praised the Nets as a “wonderful, wonderful, wonderful organization” and thanked Brooklyn for its “unbelievable appreciation for me and my family and just being nice and laying out the red carpet."  But he did note "Brooklyn has its own issues with being [sold] and management and question marks about their future."

Those issues aside, as Ohm Youngmisuk notes, KG always took ownership of his role as the veteran leader, the future Hall of Famer, the kid whose love of the game made him fabulously rich, famous worldwide and an icon of effort.  While as Youngmisuk writes, the Nets made a good deal to get Thaddeus Young --and the price of Garnett and Pierce was very high, no one ever accused KG of not giving his all, on the court and in the locker room.

Youngmisuk cites occasion after occasion where Garnett did or said the right thing at the right time, some of them not well known.  Here's one we hadn't seen detailed before...

When the Nets were in the midst of a horrendous 10-21 start in 2013-14, they were routed, 95-78, by Chicago at home before a nationally-televised Christmas Day audience.

A furious Kidd had enough, lighting into his team after the debacle and calling out the players for basically a lack of heart and effort. Garnett stood up and vented before storming to the showers. Sources stressed Garnett backed Kidd and didn’t do it to show up the then-rookie coach but rather to send a message to some of his teammates about his frustration over the team's lack of fight.

Days later, the Nets went on a playoff run and got to the second round. They have been a disappointment but Kevin Garnett was never a disappointment.  Best wishes, Big Ticket.

• Garnett's impact on Nets more than meets eye - Ohm Youngmisuk - ESPN New York