Kevin Garnett is not one to hide emotions, whether he is upset about losing games in Minnesota, furious with Charlie Villanueva for being Charlie Villanueva, angry at Channing Frye for standing near his personal space, disappointed by David Stern’s decision to compact training camp, or letting everyone know that anything is possible after winning an NBA title.

So when Dennis & Callahan asked Garnett about Rajon Rondo, he shot it to them straight. (WEEI)

Who’s the smartest player on this team? Because Doc gave us an answer immediately.

Rajon Rondo.

That’s what he said. He said he was the smartest player in the league.

Very much so. The most stubborn, the most probably hated.

You might have part of that on him.

No, no. I’ve grown to understand Shorty. His greatest gift is his greatest curse. We as players try to help him to understand that. Me, more or less, I see a lot of myself in him. I’m not as cocky as he is. I like to actually set aside ego when I step on the court and let the play do the talking.

Shorty’s very smart but he’s also very stubborn. Nonetheless, with all that said and done, talking to him, I see the maturity, I hear the maturity in him wanting to be better. That’s what you want from your young guy. You want your young guy growing. You want your guy to always be in a sense to where he’s understanding that he’s the future. I think him understanding that, him being confident in that. You hear your name in talks, that’s not what you want to be. Things like that come on for a reason. Just understanding growth and understanding being young. But I love Shorty. I wouldn’t want to play with anybody else.

He might get traded.

It’s part of the game. It’s part of it. But while he’s here, I love him.

It seems like you understand it’s a business, and Doc was saying it’s a business, and guys understand that. Does Shorty understand that it’s a business and you’ve got to be good to get traded for someone like Chris Paul?

I think he understands that. Shorty understands what it is. It humbles you. I’ll be honest. You see yourself as an asset. You see yourself as the future. then you hear your name in talks. I don’t know his own thought process, you’d have to ask Rondo those things. But I can just see the maturity in him when I talk to him.

After a number of Rondo trade rumors were followed by Ice Tea-Gate (shout-out to Twitter follower @dave_gogel for naming Rondo’s playoff outburst), the veterans have all spoken out in defense of Rondo. Even if they don’t always see eye to eye with him, they respect him. Now, it’d be nice if he stopped occasionally throwing bottles at video projector screens and bad-mouthing all his teammates.