Los Angeles Clippers coach Doc Rivers told ESPN.com on Friday that he was willing to bring Kevin Garnett to Los Angeles to join the Clippers but that the 40-year-old wanted to retire.?Rivers, who once declared Garnett his favorite player to coach, said he has spoken with Garnett about Minnesotas decision to orchestrate a buyout for the 15-time All-Star, who announced his farewell Friday.?He doesnt want to play, Rivers said. Im sure he wont play again. I think he realized, Why am I doing this?I would have absolutely been interested in bringing him here. You always find a place for a guy like that, whose voice in the locker room is so strong, so clear, so impactful.Hes such a great teacher in practice. He should start a course in leadership. The NBA should designate who the best player is on each team and then they could bring Kevin in and he could teach them how to be the best player and the best leader. Better yet, they could bring him and Tim [Duncan] in and they could teach it together and show people how it can be done in two completely opposite ways.Garnett was encouraged by friend, confidant and former coach Flip Saunders to sign a two-year, $16 million contract with the Timberwolves in 2015. Saunders envisioned KG as a mentor for the young team he was building, but also planned to include Garnett as a part-owner in a group that Saunders was assembling to buy the team.Saunders died of Hodgkin lymphoma in October 2015, at the age of 60. Minnesota hired Sam Mitchell, another close Garnett ally, as the interim coach to replace Saunders.KG, hobbled by knee woes, averaged just 14.2 minutes and 3.2 points per game last season, but became a trusted mentor to Karl-Anthony Towns, the young big man who is the centerpiece of the Timberwolves rebuilding effort.You know how much Im gonna miss playing with you and just simply having you around, Towns wrote on Instagram . Congrats on having one of the greatest careers the game has ever seen. We talked. I know what I must do. Ill take it from here.Moments after the 2015-16 season ended, the Timberwolves fired Mitchell and general manager Milt Newton. Garnett, according to league sources, was visibly upset when told Mitchell would not be retained. His strained relationship with current owner Glen Taylor further deteriorated after Mitchells ouster.Taylor acknowledged this week that he hadnt spoken with Garnett for months. Rivers said Garnetts departure from Minnesota was not what he had envisioned, and his ownership opportunity has all but vanished.It wasnt a great ending, Rivers said. Im not going to say too much about it, but once Flip passed away it threw a wrench into everything.Rivers said that Garnett feels really great and was working out as recently as a couple of weeks ago. His knee issues, Rivers believes, could be handled with the proper regimen of rest and treatment.The sad thing is he could play another year if he wanted to, Rivers said. Maybe thats why hes retired but not retired. He loves the young guys on that Minnesota team. Theyre great listeners and he loved working with them. Its too bad its ending like this for him.Garnett will stay in the game in some capacity, Rivers confirmed, and said hes already thinking up ways to bring him into the Clippers fold. Garnett has a home in Malibu, California.?Im going to offer him something, Rivers said. I dont want to say too much right now. I just know hed be a great asset to any team.Garnett, who teamed with Rivers, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen to help the Boston Celtics win the 2008 NBA championship, finishes his career in the top 20 in all-time scoring (17th, 26,071 points), rebounding (ninth, 14,662) and blocked shots (17th, 2,037).Yet the numbers, Rivers said, dont begin to explain his value.Most incredible leader Ive ever seen, Rivers said. He loves the game and played it with a passion you just dont see very often.But hes finally had enough. We all get there someday. Cheap Nike Roshe Shoes . -- Josh Sterk scored once and set up two more as the Oshawa Generals edged the visiting Belleville Bulls 3-2 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Nike Roshe Clearance Sale . Numbers Game examines the deal that sees Michael Del Zotto and Kevin Klein switch places. The Predators Get: D Michael Del Zotto. http://www.discountnikeroshe.com/ . The showiest items on Calgarys lot were forwards Mike Cammalleri and Lee Stempniak. Both will be unrestricted free agents this summer. Outlet Nike Roshe . Thats not a comment on the suspension that banished the Portland Winterhawks general manager and coach from his Western Hockey League teams bench for most of the 2012-13 season. Nike Roshe Clearance . Ouellette, from Montreal, already has three Olympic gold medals since joining the team in 1999. BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Montreal captain Max Pacioretty liked what he saw from the new-look Canadiens in getting off to a successful start to the season.And Brendan Gallagher looks like hes ready to bounce back from an injury-shortened season.Gallagher scored twice while newcomers Shea Weber, Andrew Shaw and backup goalie Al Montoya made significant contributions in a 4-1 season-opening victory over the injury-depleted Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night.You want them to feel comfortable and whether you admit it or not, when you get that first goal or point or win, it takes a little bit of stress off you, Pacioretty said. And Im glad it came early for those guys. They played great.Weber, acquired in a trade that sent P.K. Subban to Nashville, provided grit to Montreals defense and added an assist, when his hard rising shot from inside the blue line was tipped in by Gallagher to put the Canadiens ahead 3-1. Shaw, acquired in a trade with Chicago, scored and Montoya stopped 30 shots in filling in for Carey Price, who is sidelined with the flu.A bit of nerves coming in, Montoya said. I wasnt trying to steal the game. Ive got a good team in front of me. They were fun to watch.Montoya will get a second consecutive start at Ottawa on Saturday after the Canadiens announced Price will not travel.There was no fun for the Sabres, whose injurie woes grew when forward Evander Kane was taken to the hospital for further evaluation after he slammed heavily into the end boards late in the second period.Coach Dan Bylsma had no immediate update on Kanes status, except to say the player was being evaluated for a lot of things internally.Kanes injury is the latest setback for a team that was already reeling a day after second-year star center Jack Eichel sprained his left ankle during practice.Well, theres a little bit of shake your head and snake-bitten a little bit, Bylsma said. You expect to have (injuries) throughout your lineup, and unfortunately you have a rash of them. But thats no excuse for how we need to play. Weve got to keep fighting throough it.ddddddddddddKane was doubled-over in pain as he was escorted off the ice. He was hurt while racing Canadiens defenseman Alexei Emelin for a loose puck up the left wing in the Montreal zone. Kane reached out for the puck when the two bumped. Kane lost his balance, fell and slid with his left elbow slamming into the boards.The Sabres were also playing minus top-line forward Kyle Okposo (knee) and defenseman Dmitry Kulikov (bruised backside).Matt Moulson scored a power-play goal for Buffalo to briefly cut Montreals lead to 2-1 in the opening minute of the third period.The Canadiens responded with two goals in just under five minutes.Gallagher tipped in Webers shot 6:43 into the third. Shaw then scored by capping a frantic scramble in front after goalie Robin Lehner had already made two stops. Torrey Mitchell also scored for Montreal.We did a lot of good things, Canadiens coach Michel Therrien said. Theres still things that we need to work on and its normal. But its really early in the season. But overall youve got to be satisfied with the win.Game notes Before the game, the Sabres announced they signed general manager Tim Murray to a multiyear contract extension. Murray was hired in January 2014, and was entering the final year of his contract. ... At 18 years and 110 days, Canadiens rookie first-round draft pick Mikhail Sergachev became the fourth-youngest player and youngest defenseman to play a regular-season game in team history. ... Buffalo Bills coach Rex Ryan listed Eichel on his injury report, and then joked he had no comment about Maple Leafs rookie Auston Matthews scoring four goals in his debut. Nah, Ryan added, it was pretty amazing wasnt it? ... Eichel had his left leg perched on a scooter in making a brief appearance in the Sabres tunnel during pre-game introductions.UP NEXT:Canadiens: At Ottawa on Saturday.Sabres: Play at Edmonton on Sunday in opening four-game road swing. ' ' '