TNT has reached a multiyear agreement with former NBAer Kevin Garnett to serve as a contributor to the net's NBA coverage, appearing weekly throughout the season to provide commentary and analysis from a custom standalone set. Garnett will sometimes be joined by guests from the entertainment and sports worlds. In addition to segments on TNT, the content will be distributed via Bleacher Report and Turner's social media channels. Garnett's agent on the deal was WME-IMG's Josh Pyatt (THE DAILY). In Minneapolis, Brian Stensaas notes Garnett in a promo "vows to keep his takes '100 percent real' which will fit in nicely with the current cast of characters" (Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE, 10/28). CBSSPORTS.com's Matt Moore writes the move "makes sense" for Garnett. He is a "big, loud, funny personality who never really let the media in." He also has "respect and credit with the other members of the crew, which matters." Moore: "You have to have a high level of respect in order to make it on that set, and be aggressive enough to provide strong opinions and deal with all the silliness and ribbing that goes on." Other former players "haven't meshed well enough to last, but Garnett, especially in this remote role, should fit perfectly" (CBSSPORTS.com, 10/28).
LET'S GET IT STARTED: TNT finished with 3.2 million viewers for its Opening Night doubleheader on Tuesday, marking the net's best figure on opening night since '13. The Spurs' 129-100 win over the Warriors, which featured Warriors F Kevin Durant's first game after leaving the Thunder in the offseason, drew 3.5 million viewers in the late window, up 38% from Pelicans-Warriors in the same window last year (2.5 million viewers). Knicks-Cavaliers, which featured the Cavs' championship banner being raised, drew 2.9 million viewers in the early window. That game had market competition in Cleveland-Akron with Cubs-Indians World Series Game 2. Knicks-Cavs was down from 3.5 million viewers for Cavs-Bulls last year (
Austin Karp, Assistant Managing Editor).
