The Boston Celtics had so many massive moments with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce on their roster.
KG and ‘The Truth’ were such special players for the Celtics that they even made a massively positive impact for the franchise when they were traded away.
That happened 13 years ago Sunday, on July 12, 2014.
The Celtics traded Pierce and Garnett to the Brooklyn Nets as part of a much larger package that aged very well for Boston.
The full deal sent Pierce, Garnett, Jason Terry and D.J. White to the Nets.
In return, the Celtics got Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Keith Bogans, Kris Joseph and three unprotected first-round picks, plus a pick swap in 2017.
The 2016 first-rounder was used on Jaylen Brown.
The 2017 pick swap led to Jayson Tatum.
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And the Celtics won an NBA championship with those two guys as their best players in 2024, with Brown winning Finals MVP.
Meanwhile, Garnett and Pierce were shells of their former selves with Brooklyn. Boston got out at just the right time
It was a classic example of the Nets trying to go after big names but not recognizing the value in over-the-hill players.
The Celtics took advantage and won because of it. The trade was an uncertainty at the time, but looking back more than a decade later, it’s clear Boston fleeced Brooklyn.
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