(FROM NETS WEBSITE)
ORLANDO – Two weeks after the blockbuster trade between the Nets and Celtics was agreed upon, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are officially Nets.
“Today, the basketball gods smiled on the Nets,” Nets Principal Owner Mikhail Prokhorov said in a statement announcing the trade. “With the arrival of Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, we have achieved a great balance on our roster between veteran stars and young talents. This team will be dazzling to watch, and tough to compete against. “
Pierce, Garnett and Jason Terry were finally sent to Brooklyn on Friday afternoon, after the final hurdle to the trade becoming official – Kris Joseph being eligible to be traded – could finally be cleared. All of the previously reported pieces going to Boston were included in the trade – Kris Humphries, Gerald Wallace, MarShon Brooks, Keith Bogans and Joseph, plus three first-round picks and the rights to swap first-rounders with the Nets in 2017 – while one player, D.J. White, was added to the deal coming back to Brooklyn.
The move brings a combined 25 All-Star appearances to the Nets, who also get a massive dose of toughness, defense and veteran leadership from a trio of players who have been major contributors to title-winning teams, as well as countless deep playoff runs throughout their careers.
“We are excited to welcome Kevin, Paul and Jason to Brooklyn,” Nets general manager Billy King said in a statement. “All three players have championship pedigree and possess the veteran qualities that will make us a stronger team.”
By adding Pierce and Garnett, the Nets also get leadership, intensity, defense and perimeter shooting – all things that they lacked last year. Meanwhile, the Celtics are officially saying goodbye to a magical six-year run with Garnett, Pierce and coach Doc Rivers, after Ray Allen began the breakup of the Big Three Era in Boston by leaving for Miami last summer.
“We would like to thank Paul, Kevin, and Jason for everything that they have done for this franchise. We would not have won Banner 17 without Paul and Kevin and they will go down amongst the all-time great players to have ever worn a Celtics uniform,” Celtics President of Basketball Operations Danny Ainge said in a statement. “At the same time we are excited to welcome Gerald, Kris, Keith, MarShon and Kris to the Celtics family. They bring a wealth of talent, experience, depth, and flexibility to our team.”
While both have plenty of miles on their tires – Garnett has played more minutes than any active player now that his new coach, Jason Kidd, has retired, while Pierce has played fifth-most – both still remained effective last season.
Garnett, 37, averaged 14.8 points and 7.8 rebounds last season in just under 30 minutes a game for the Celtics during the regular season before averaging 12.7 points and 13.7 rebounds in just over 35 minutes in Boston’s six-game loss to the Knicks in the first round of the playoffs.
The more telling numbers, however, are how the Celtics performed defensively when Garnett was on and off the court. When Garnett was playing, the Celtics held their opponents to 96.2 points per 100 possessions, according to NBA.com’s stats tool – a number that would have given Boston the NBA’s best defense.
When he was on the bench, however, the Celtics allowed 104.6 points per 100 possesions, which would have ranked them 21st in the league.
Pierce, on the other hand, was once again the engine that drove Boston’s offense despite playing last season at 35 years old. Pierce replaced the creative void left by Rajon Rondo going down for the rest of the season with a torn ACL, and finished with averages of 18.6 points, 6.3 rebounds and 4.8 assists per game. It was the first time he’d averaged over six rebounds a game in several years, and his second-highest assist total of his career, only behind his 5.1 average in 2003-04.
Both should go a long way towards instilling the culture change inside the Nets locker room that the organization was looking for when it hired Kidd to be its next coach, as well as leaving a massive void in Boston, where Pierce has spent all 15 years of his career since being drafted 10th overall in 1998.
“Paul and Kevin exemplified everything it means to be a Celtic,” Celtics owner Wyc Grousbeck said in a statement. “They were instrumental in bringing back Celtic Pride and providing our fans with the franchise’s first championship in over 20 years in 2008. We wish them nothing but the best in the future.”
Terry could also prove to be an important piece in the trade, thanks to his ability to be an offensive sparkplug off the bench and knock down an open 3-pointer, and will almost certainly become a fan favorite thanks to his effervescent personality. That said, he had his worst season since his rookie year with Boston last year in the first year of a three-year, $15.7 million deal.
Terry averaged 10.1 points, 2.0 rebounds and 2.5 assists for the Celtics, including shooting 37 percent from 3-point range. But his scoring averaged was his lowest since his rookie year, while his assist total was the lowest of his entire career.