Pietrus Wants To Return To Fold

Marc D'Amico
Team Reporter and Analyst

By Peter F. Stringer
Celtics.com
June 27, 2012

WALTHAM, Mass. – Mickael Pietrus wants to be back in green next season. He also hopes to be reunited with Kevin Garnett.

While reporters assembled in Waltham, Mass., to chat with Danny Ainge about Thursday's NBA Draft, Pietrus was at the team’s practice facility rehabbing his surgically repaired right knee. Pietrus had an arthroscopic procedure on the knee on June 13, and he reported that he’s convalescing nicely.

Mickael Pietrus

Mickael Pietrus is rehabbing his right knee in Waltham, and told reporters he would like to play for the Celtics again next season.
Peter Stringer/Boston Celtics

“MP is going to be back flying again,” Pietrus said, laughing.

To be clear, Pietrus is not flying yet, and he’s not even running yet, but he said he expects to be ready to go by August when it’s time to start gearing up for training camp. And he hopes to be joined by the Big Ticket.

“My main focus is to bring KG back, like everybody else,” Pietrus said. “After that, he’s going to want me to be back too.”

While Garnett is believed to be the “first domino to fall” in the Celtics’ offseason planning, Pietrus made it clear he wants to return to Boston alongside KG.

Pietrus stressed that he couldn’t speak on how Garnett was feeling about returning to the Celtics this upcoming season, but said that the two are keeping in touch when it comes to international soccer.

“I spoke to him. We have a bet. He’s rooting for Germany. I’m rooting for Spain,” Pietrus said. “We just talk about soccer right now. We don’t talk about his business.”

As for his own business, Pietrus, who’s still stinging from losing in the Eastern Conference Finals to the Miami Heat, is already focusing on his goal.

“I only have one thing in mind and that’s two numbers. One and eight,” said Pietrus.

If you don’t speak Pietrus, or are missing the analogy, Pietrus is talking about 18, as in Banner 18. Obviously, for that to happen, a lot of things need to come together. As of today, the Celtics have just four players currently under contract. But Pietrus was excited about the potential prospect of taking one more run at the title with a similar team as the 2011-12 Celtics squad that came within one win of their third NBA Finals appearance in five seasons.