Monday marked the 10-year anniversary of the blockbuster trade between the Celtics and Timberwolves that brought Kevin Garnett to Boston. This was the start of the (new) Big 3 era in the Hub, as the C’s had traded for Ray Allen just a few weeks before.
The emotional leader of the club, Boston would never have won its 17th championship without Garnett. Plus, his legacy still lives on in the form of Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, as KG was a pivotal piece in the 2013 Nets trade.
It’s hard to believe ten years have already gone by, and you may be shocked at just how much the Association and the rest of the world have changed since the Big Ticket joined the Celtics. Hold on to your butts:
1. Garnett played in Minnesota for 12 years before coming to Boston
At the time of the trade back in July of 2007, Garnett had already been with the Timberwolves for twelve full seasons. Drafted straight out of high school in 1995, KG was the cornerstone of the franchise for over a decade.
Despite having the longest tenured career in one city of any active player, Minnesota had begun to field trade offers for KG during the 2006-07 season. Before ultimately heading to Boston, the Bulls, Lakers, Warriors, and several other clubs were all in the mix to land Garnett.
2. KG was on a five-year, $100 million contract at the time
At the height of his power, Garnett was among the league’s most potent and visible stars. A former MVP and multi-time All Star, few players were as valuable to a franchise as Garnett. But ten years ago, being one of the league’s leading men was only worth about $20 million a year.
The numbers and specifics of the contract are a bit more complicated than that, but given that Otto Porter Jr. just inked a four-year, $106 million deal, I think it’s safe to say things have changed just a tad.
3. Garnett visited the TD Banknorth Garden when arriving in Boston
When KG was dealt to Boston, he took in the sights, including a trip to the arena where he would be playing. That meant swinging by what was then known as the TD Banknorth Garden.
Originally dubbed the Fleet Center, TD Banknorth bought the naming rights to the stadium in 2005. Home to the Celtics and the Bruins, the arena held the awkward monicker of TD Banknorth Garden until July 2009, when it simply became the TD Garden.
4. Oh, and he wore this
If you thought “TD Banknorth Garden” was unnecessarily long, check out KG’s jeans.
I can think of no better way to make you feel old than to remind you that at the time, Garnett’s outfit would have been considered quite cool.
5. You might have learned of the trade on your Blackberry
That is if you had a smartphone at all. Back in 2007, simple Nokia’s and phones like the Motorola Razr dominated the cellphone market. And because iPhones were still brand new, if you did have a fancy smartphone, it very well could have been a blackberry. That means that this little drama undoubtably played out all across Boston in July of 2007:
*Opens new BBM*
“Omg the Celtics just got Kevin Garnett!!”
6. Fenway was abuzz over Eric Gagne when KG threw out the opening pitch on Aug. 1
Just a day after the trade was announced, Garnett was down at Fenway Park throwing out the first pitch at a Red Sox-Orioles game. Javier Lopez picked up the win that night, and Jonathan Papelbon earned himself a save, too.
All the feelshttps://t.co/dqqMqolOM0
— Cameron Tabatabaie (@CTabatabaie) July 31, 2017
At the time, however, even Garnett’s trade couldn’t top the excitement over newcomer Eric Gagne, the 2003 National League Cy Young Award winner. Then Red Sox manager Terry Francona explained that even KG would have to take a backseat to Gagne.
“Gagne is first,” Francona said. “But not by a lot. This is a big deal.”
7. Gerald Green was 21 at the time
The Celtics fully unloaded their roster to land Garnett, sending seven assets to Minnesota. All told, the Timberwolves swapped KG in exchange for two 2009 first-round draft picks, Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes, Sebastian Telfair, Theo Ratlif, and Gerald Green.
In his first two seasons in Boston, Green had made a name for himself as a high-flying athletic phoneme. He won the 2007 Slam Dunk contest and offered a bit of excitement during an otherwise forgettable season.
Green would return to the Celtics in 2016, almost a full decade after being traded. No longer an exciting up-and-comer, the veteran wing was Boston’s oldest player and a key part of their success early on during this past postseason.
8. And Jayson Tatum was 9
Boston’s exciting new rookie is the product of the 2013 Nets trade, and would never have landed in Boston if it wasn’t for Garnett. The young man was just nine-years old when KG first joined the Celtics.
9. Brad Stevens had just been named head coach at Butler
After six years as a dedicated assistant, Brad Stevens was named head coach of the Butler Bulldogs mens basketball team in April of 2007. He was selected for his dedicated focus and ability to maintain “The Butler Way.”
Stevens was just 30-years old, the second youngest Division I mens basketball coach of all time. For reference, Garnett was 31 at the time.
10. The Celtics visited President Bush after winning the 2008 NBA Finals
Boston won just 24 games during the 2006-07 season, and there were no guarantees that the addition of Ray Allen or Kevin Garnett would be enough to put the Celtics back into contention. As KG would later remind us all, however, anything is possible, and the C’s did in fact win the 2008 NBA Finals.
Like most professional sport champions, the Celtics were invited to the White House, where they were greeted by the 43rd president, George W. Bush.
Final thoughts
It really is hard to believe ten years have passed since KG first came to the C’s. Kevin Garnett’s legacy in Boston is well-deserved. He helped turn the tide and bring the franchise back to its old glory. He gave the Celtics heart, determination, and a sense of pride still felt today. And thanks to his willingness to go to Brooklyn, he’ll live on in the Hub for many years to come.
Please follow me on Twitter @CTabatabaie
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