Jackie MacMullan, ESPNBoston.com, on KG's possible retirement

-- sign our month -- not a three point seven WEEI will join us later on in this hour live from Fort Myers your phone calls. Up until 2 o'clock in the big show what holly and award -- 61777979837. You can text us. On the AT&T text -- 379 B 37 all star. Break for the NBA they'll play this weekend all star game on Sunday. Joining us on the -- hotline -- Jack McMullen -- brought to you by HSA insurance Newton Wellesley dental partners and by drum held court. Jackie ESPN boston.com. Afternoon Jackie might conduct Kirk who's -- down -- Fort Myers scenario. Are you guys are excellent urgent call into -- yesterday glad we can talk some basketball with you today we have spent the last hour or so. Doing something really not related to the Celtics which will get to but comparing this era of the MBA. To the eighties like comparisons to Jordan LeBron this week it will be with Jordan turning fifty. But yeah Kirk's point was that aesthetically and just overall belief was better. In the eighties -- -- -- -- rivalries were better -- obviously the rosters were deeper joint 2324 teams but. The players it today or just his good where do you fall on this MB we watched now vs the MD eighties. Well. It's such a loaded question for me. You know. I think at stake like career in the eighties and I got to know those players so very well and Kirk right I mean it that the talent is diluted and it's it's it's just a fact of life. So -- -- -- -- to have three hall of famers on one roster it's it's kind of amazing that it's been able to happen in this era I didn't think it would ever happen again. And yet that he may or may not have that and where do you think response to never being he's certainly and also are legendary in the hall of famers and another question entirely. So it's. The talent to -- somewhat I would say this. Ticket he'd beat up on the NBA. Play different I can do it but. I thought the one thing that that Larry magic -- getting along the way back to the early eighties was. Date they change the lead back to a pass first league and they got passing back into the game which about the NBA desperately needed. And I think today's point guards if you look at the league during that such a dearth of big men that the point a to point are dominated league in some respects. And the packing to be -- is back in the game here and in this 21 century. I -- that you could argue that it's the best plays in the game are -- pollen and players like that so. You know it is it different sure but I hate Agassi could be helpful he lived in the past -- kind of enjoying the Indiana Republican right. That's I was saying to jacket -- that's when I grew up and so it's easy for me to feel and I feel like no matter what I mean you know twenty years from now people watching it today in the -- That was better twenty years ago and you know 2012 it's it's it's the music movies that always happens bullet. Not a -- going back to today's Celtics with Garnett after the game last night he mentioned. He said despite these last all star game you kind of backtracked and they wouldn't talk a retirement I don't you know of people -- -- IP is last year you get the feeling. You know watching him listening to him that there's a real distinct possibility he may not play next season. Beyoncé you know and I'll tell you -- I was in LA two years ago for the all star game there and KG was there. And he played very very small minutes. And that was by choice you know he had told the -- -- at the time to put but the young -- play and they were just a couple of us there and I remember him. Doing the same thing being very nostalgic about the -- dark image and said two years to go to. And LA then you know that this very well could be my last all star game and I think really what it's more about guys is bit. He understands his own mortality is looking and squarely in the -- And I think he take a year -- year. And I fully expect him to play next year but I think he's just thinking you know what. I'm not going to be enough for every year so it's so look like a preemptive strike on your legacy that makes sense. That's I think gone. Well -- he always is at least up to -- to be fun to watch in this weekend we get to the all star break here now. NA a brutal game last night but I thought Leo. What they didn't do when Charlotte -- it last night at the executed their at the end of the game and Brandon Bass of all people who wait for what 5152. Games to show us. The Brandon Bass we saw last year starts at -- all -- and at the end of the game. -- and it -- -- -- Brandon Bass very often a beautiful pass right Kevin Garnett for that way huge jump shot there at the end game. Well it's about time that don't. We wait to finally have a fighting from the guy because. And its roster dwindled down stiff single digits here. You really are gonna need everybody once again stepped up even a little more and it's not just the backcourt because. Excuse me I can't play Jeff Green and Paul Pierce with the two and three which I like by the ethnic creates mismatches all over the floor. That it forces teams to go big it it's not the worst thing. But what it doesn't deplete now deplete your front court a little bit -- it's -- ripple effects so they need gas to produce. But that's not really had already called -- Iraq fight that's what it seemed like to me what I liked about it was they made the defense if and when they needed to and I did not see that in the Charlotte game. I think. It they all saw this -- outdoor game coming in for this team in particular. I think the win was important for them before they took this break. So you gotta be happy with where they are it's. You know if you look at the standings guys -- really not that. Never mind the eight we were talking before about the making it last night you can climb in the latter you wonder my gosh is there anyway they can actually get kind of where they can have home court for a first round. Now a couple of games out 45. More you talked about. Jeff Green and you know when Rondo went down and the last guy expected to play better was Jeff Green and he came in -- sort of picture him being tied Toronto here but he's played better I mean listen. It was great against the lakers great against Denver Post the best car on the floor for them. Again Charlotte are you surprised at his game has stepped up this much and -- absence. -- -- because you're right the whole idea was to bring Jeff Green and play up tempo basketball with Rondo. But you know actually the piece on Jeff Green it's coming out later today on on ESPN boston.com and it's gonna Madison and they finish at -- procrastinating itself might have been delayed afternoon. But you know in talking with gaining one of the things that you talked about I thought it was interesting -- You know what in front of the in the game. And -- we get to rebounds what did you do after the ball on the right. So now he can't pass an all around escalating -- he takes up the floor itself. Also you get five right guys running the floor in transition and getting easy baskets and get greens getting easy baskets. So the trick by eight is next year when -- comes back. And get green get that rebound. It for him to get to Rondo surrounded already be heading up the floor in transition so he can score in the open floor where he's best so it's gonna take some adjustment -- part. But also these guys. I think I think Danny try to think they were using Rondo as a -- a lot I think they just I would get to rebound we got to get to our guys who dominate the ball now they really you know. We don't have to do that we can run up slightly let's get Paul Pierce. His due here you can make you seven and a half assessed. And Rondo went out that is incredible. -- isn't credible is that the fascinating thing with -- the next trajectory comes back soon as teams and things went pretty well even shows up in the post season. What is Rondo gonna do next year will be accepted that some sort of change role that's maybe not a significant terms of handling the ball as he would be okay Singapore at that he shows up next here. Yet that it's a really good question Kirk and you know it's funny -- that the dole went to people and I get different answers from some of the teammates. From a coach I I again I hear different messages from a lot of different people. You know dot -- leads. Argue in Rwanda's defense. That even though he has these blips and he had plenty of them. That ultimately he is in perspective that he does sit at home after things happen whether it -- an official or whatever what every day. You know threatening not to go to the all star game because they didn't pick -- the first time but didn't go home when he thinks about it. And he realizes OK I can handle that differently now he mini -- never publicly say that. But if he isn't factored that into perspective person that doc has described to me in the past that's good news. Now keep the player that Olympic teammates think that you know look -- has just gonna do Iran goes away and humanely as part way but it's still going to be. Rondo -- team -- Bol. And we might have a little bit of a problem I think it can be really I hope we understand is that defining moment for him it's that defining moment of his career. Jackie McMullen ESPN Boston is joining us -- Rondo goes down they win that came in Miami we've had. I'm pretty -- it's not a small sample size but it's not the biggest stretch here between then and now. Has your opinion changed Jackie on their their their ceiling in these games they play without -- terms of what they can do. In a playoff series and here in the second half. I still think it's going to be challenging. When you get to the end of the game and you get bogged down. And -- you don't have that penetration that Rhonda -- you went and you know. I go back to last season they were all sorts of crazy things that happened last season during the regular season we had all these rumors in discussions about whether Rondo was freaking -- Ray Allen in certain situations during the regular season and all sorts of things like that what happened when they got in the postseason. They are on the same page the Ray Allen got plenty of big shots on the nature he got the ball to exactly the right person. And that to me is when you're gonna miss -- and that I do still think. He's too talented for anyone to make the argument over the long haul this is a good thing for -- Can't sign out -- against him. Between now and and next week do you think that Danny Ainge goes and finds is it just a point guard Jack and attend -- is something else he adds to this roster between Allen and. I mean it's it's hard to do need to do much. Because he doesn't have anybody to trade you know before we were talking it was different it was it's a little bit -- depth there there's no -- now. So I mean I I look at the at the league right now in the you know you hear the names of people that are out there you know court cut spilled out there. If you could make a deal for Gortat I think he would but what would it cost -- I don't know the answer to that. But you know from the other names Bargnani Josh Smith Brandon Jennings is out there these are players that the Celtics there are. Are gonna be making a move floor so I think -- -- be fair amount of activity throughout the week. I just think. The Celtics -- a little bit tight election wanna make it really big deal on the and I can -- the payment and the Celtics let them do what they just have no way to get them if you can get Paul Millsap and a three way and that's what it would take. I would go for that in a heartbeat but you have but it's not realistic and I can happen. Week ago should be interesting Jacqui will look for your story and Jeff Green on ESPN boston.com later on this afternoon. As always appreciate the conversation thanks. All right guys you have a great weekend thanks to do to my we can -- that there's a -- -- north then go go. -- that Jacqui McMullen ESPN boston.com joining us Jacqui brought to you by HSA insurance by Newton Wellesley dental partners. And by drama -- 46177797937. AT&T next month is 37937. Lose in Fort Myers we check back with him live -- live ninety --