Celtics finish deal to trade Pierce, Garnett
NEW YORK — The big breakup of the Celtics is complete. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett are Brooklyn-bound.
The Nets and Celtics completed their draft-night trade Friday, a nine-player, three-draft-pick swap centered on the two aging champions who won a title in Boston in 2008. Garnett is 37, and Pierce will be 36 by opening night.
And with a championship chapter in the Celtics’ storied history closed, it’s the Nets who are thinking big heading into their second season in Brooklyn.
“Today, the basketball gods smiled on the Nets,” team owner Mikhail Prokhorov said in a statement. “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.”
The Nets also got Jason Terry and D.J. White from Boston, while sending Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, MarShon Brooks, Kris Joseph, Keith Bogans and first-round draft picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018 to the rebuilding Celtics. Boston also gets the right to swap firstround picks in 2017.
The teams agreed to the deal on June 27 but it couldn’t be completed until after next season’s salary cap was set.
Boston won five straight division titles from 200812 before falling back last season, the first after Ray Allen’s departure to Miami. Then the Celtics let coach Doc Rivers out of his contract after the season for a first-round pick from the Los Angeles Clippers. This trade begins a new phase for the team that has an NBA-high 17 championships and got used to being in the hunt again after Garnett arrived in 2007.
“Paul and Kevin exemplified everything it means to be a Celtic,” Celtics managing partner and CEO Wyc Grousbeck said.
The Nets went 49-33 in their first season in Brooklyn and have spent big in hopes of bettering that in 2013-14. They also signed versatile forward Andrei Kirilenko, re-signed backup big man Andray Blatche and added reserve guard Shaun Livingston.
They blew well past the luxury tax line and are facing a bill of more than $70 million in taxes, but Prokhorov has said he wants a title within five years of buying the team.
Kirilenko signed his contract Friday. He will make $ 3.2 million this season and has an option for the second year. The forward opted out of a deal that would have paid him $10 million in Minnesota this season.
DEVELOPMENTS
Stephens, Clark shine: Miami Heat summer league standout Ian Clark, an undrafted combo guard out of Germantown High and Belmont University, stepped up with 18 points, seven assists and six steals in Friday’s 90-85 victory over the Detroit Pistons at Orlando.
Former Memphis Tigers star D.J. Stephens scored 11 points on 5-for- 6 shooting and had three rebounds.
Clark said Friday he plans to honor his commitment to play for the Golden State Warriors at the Las Vegas summer league. The Heat, which is participating in both NBA summer leagues, tried to convince Clark on Thursday night to remain with them.
Perhaps the greatest gain by Clark during his five appearances in Orlando was showing an ability to play at point guard, a position where the Heat have only Mario Chalmers and Norris Cole under contract.
“I didn’t play a lot in college at the one,” Clark said Friday. “And the Heat this week have really been emphasizing me bringing the ball up and initiating the offense. I know I’m not going to be a pure point, but I can become a combo and get the offense started, but also being able to spot up and shoot and also play off the dribble.”
Mavs rookie hurt: Dallas rookie guard Shane Larkin has a broken ankle and will be sidelined until training camp after surgery.
The former University of Miami point guard, the 18th pick in last month’s draft, was hurt Friday in the last practice before the team flew to Las Vegas for summer league games.
“Yes it is true,” Larkin wrote on Twitter. “But if you think I won’t come back stronger ... (than) before then you got the wrong guy.”
Warriors get Speights: The Golden State Warriors have confirmed a deal struck earlier this week with free agent Marreese Speights.
Golden State gets another versatile power forward off the bench who they hope can fill the void left by Carl Landry, who agreed to a four-year, $26 million contract with Sacramento last Saturday.
Speights, 25, averaged 10.2 points and 5.1 rebounds in the final 39 games with Cleveland after coming over in a trade from the Grizzlies last season.
Speights’ deal is for three years and about $11 million. The third year is a team option.
Briefly: The Atlanta Hawks have re-signed guard Kyle Korver, one of the league’s top 3-point shooters. The four-year, $24 million deal, f irst reported last week, was signed Friday. Korver averaged 10.9 points and made 45.7 percent of his 3-point shots last season, second in the NBA. ... The Oklahoma City Thunder have signed two f irstround picks, center Steven Adams (Pittsburgh) and guard-forward Andre Roberson (Colorado). ... The Minnesota Timberwolves finalized contracts with a pair of veteran small forwards, Chase Budinger and Corey Brewer, and first-round pick Shabazz Muhammad ( UCLA). Budinger agreed to terms last week on a three-year, $16 million contract; Brewer agreed to a three-year, $15 million deal Wednesday. ... The Los Angeles Lakers signed free agent center Chris Kaman on Friday after reaching a deal earlier this week. Kaman averaged 10.5 points and 5.6 rebounds while starting 52 of 66 games for Dallas last season.