Boston Celtics: Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry Traded to the Nets in Blockbuster Deal

On Thursday night, while the rest of the league was focused on the NBA draft, the Boston Celtics and Brooklyn Nets agreed in principle on a trade that could drastically change the landscape of the Eastern Conference. The Celtics will trade Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry to the Nets in exchange for Kris Humphries, Gerald Wallace, MarShon Brooks, Keith Bogans, Kris Joseph and first-round draft picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018.

The trade comes just days after former Celtics coach Doc Rivers was released and allowed to sign with the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for a 2015 first-round draft pick, the first sign that general manager Danny Ainge had decided to detonate his 2008 championship core and rebuild the team.

While the deal had been agreed on by each team’s general manager and approved by ownership, the trade hinged on Garnett who would have to waive his no-trade clause in order to complete the deal. While the Celtics have decided to start the long process of rebuilding, the chance to continue playing with close friend Pierce on a contending team in Brooklyn, as well as the Nets agreeing to fully guarantee the $12 million owed to him in 2014-15, was enough to convince Garnett to waive his no-trade clause and allow the trade to be completed. Due to the change in players’ salary at the end of the season, the deal will not be made official until July 10.

Kevin Garnett will waive his no-trade clause to join Paul Pierce in Brooklyn. Photo Credit: Keith Allison, Flickr.com

The deal will signal the end of an era in Boston. While Garnett’s arrival in 2007 changed the culture of the team and was instrumental in the team’s first championship in more than 20 years, Pierce has been with the team since he was drafted in 1999 and has remained with the franchise through some extremely difficult seasons before the recent resurgence.  The time had come for Ainge to break up his veteran core and while the transition is set to be a difficult one for Celtics’ fans, the team has started to amass an impressive list of assets to assist in their rebuilding effort.

The Celtics now have nine first-round draft picks in the next four NBA drafts, a number of cheap young players on the roster and some financial flexibility with Humphries’ large expiring contract. While the final direction of the team is still unclear at this early stage of the offseason, it is sure to be a dramatic adjustment for the team who has relied on Garnett’s defensive presence and Pierce’s leadership for years. The return for trading away Hall of Fame players may not seem like a great deal initially, but Danny Ainge has proven before that he is able to effectively stockpile assets and make huge deals to put a contending team on the floor, much like he did to initially bring Garnett and Ray Allen to Boston to join Pierce for the Celtics’ run to the 2008 NBA title.

For the Nets, the trade shows the new direction of the team under Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov, who is dedicated to fielding a team who can contend for an NBA title with no regard for how much money he has to spend in order to do so. The deal will take the Nets’ total payroll to more than $100 million dollars next season, with an additional $80 million dollar luxury tax bill, but Prokhorov and general manager Billy King could not turn down the opportunity to add three title-winning veterans to their already strong core of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson and Brook Lopez.

The numbers on Pierce, Garnett and, to a slightly lesser extent, Terry are astronomical. Pierce is a 10-time All-Star with a 21.8 points per game average over the course of his career and his 24,021 career points are good for 25th all-time in league history. He was the Finals MVP on the 2008 championship-winning Celtics team and is in the top tier of countless Celtic statistical lists. Garnett’s career accolades are even more extensive. One of the league’s greatest players over the course of an 18-year career, Garnett has won the league MVP, Defensive Player of the Year Award and is a 15-time All-Star, including an appearance in the 2013 All-Star Game. While Jason Terry may be an afterthought in a deal that includes two franchise players like Garnett and Pierce, he himself has had an impressive NBA career that includes an NBA championship, a Sixth Man of the Year award and sits fourth on the all-time 3-pointers made list.

Paul Pierce may have played his last game in a Celtics jersey. Photo Credit: Mark Runyon, Basketball Schedule

The addition of Pierce, Garnett and Terry will present new Nets coach Jason Kidd with one of the most experienced and talented rosters in the league. The impact of a scoring machine like Pierce, defensive anchor in Garnett and fearless late-game shooter like Terry adds an incredible amount to a team that was already a fourth seed in the Eastern Conference this season. It remains to be seen whether the three Boston veterans will be enough to get the Nets past the reigning back-to-back champion Miami Heat, but there can be no questioning the owner’s dedication to putting a winning team on the court.

The next step for the Celtics is unknown. The team still has All-Star point guard Rajon Rondo returning from a torn ACL and his name is already floating around in trade rumors. The 2014 NBA Draft is slated to be have of the best draft classes in recent memory and Ainge may be prepared for a down year in order to maximize the team’s chances at a top selection. Alternatively, with picks to spare and young, cheap players on the roster, Ainge could make an immediate play for a star to play alongside Rondo. Whatever the decision, one thing is for sure and that is the Boston Celtics will never be the same. Garnett’s intensity, ferocity and defense are irreplaceable, while Pierce has become a legend in Boston who fans will now have to see don a different jersey for the first time in his career. Rebuilding is never easy, saying goodbye to legends is near impossible, but Ainge has once again shown his willingness to do what it takes, regardless of personal feelings, while he tries to build the best team he can in Boston.