Adding Kevin Garnett to Ray Allen and Paul Pierce is a coup for the Celtics, but it also figures to increase the likelihood that Kobe Bryant will step up his efforts to force his way out of Los Angeles, according to a source.

One more premier player getting traded, but not to the Lakers, means that "the Laker situation is only going to get worse," the person with knowledge of the situation said. "I'm sure Kobe's wondering, 'Why can't we do that? If Danny Ainge got it done, why can't we?'"

With the options to appease him dwindling, the next step for Bryant will be to threaten a training camp holdout and follow through on it by failing to show up when the Lakers open camp Oct. 8 in Hawaii.