When we think of the Brooklyn Nets, it’s usually with a fond smile and the memory of the Boston Celtics taking them to the cleaners with the Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce trade.
Jayson Terry, also part of that blockbuster deal, recently revealed that the trade that gifted the Celtics multiple draft picks almost never happened.
“But KG said ‘man Jet’s at a point in his career that he can’t go through that, he doesn’t deserve that. Don’t put Courtney Lee in the deal, put Jet in the deal and let him come with us to Brooklyn so we can chase this championship.’ And I just thought for a guy that has accomplished a lot in his career, he didn’t have to do that. But he felt so passionate about me, and my career and he understood where I was at, that he was willing to rescind the trade had they not put me in,” Terry told Justin Quinn of the CelticsLab podcast in a recent episode.
That fateful trade never ended in a championship for Brooklyn, and unfortunately saw the demise of numerous Celtics legends within a single season. However, it did provide the Celtics with a springboard to expedite their rebuild, and for that, it’s often viewed as one of the most lopsided trades ever made.
Terry Spoke on Playing With Garnett
During the podcast, Terry also discussed his time playing alongside “The Big Ticket” and witnessing his intensity and fierce will to win firsthand.
“I was always a fan of KG because of how he competed, and how he was a team-first type of guy. But when you’re playing with him, instead of against him, now you really understand what he’s all about. He’s about the win,” Terry said.
Garnett is widely viewed as one of the most intense competitors to ever play the game and was always seen as an enforcer on the court. It wasn’t until the Celtics added Garnett and Ray Allen that they were finally able to build a championship team around lone star Paul Pierce. But, Terry believes it was Garnett’s mindset during practice that really helped the team get over the hump.
“Every time KG stepped on the floor, in practices or in games, he wanted to make sure his team was the best. And I enjoyed every minute of it,” Terry said when discussing Garnett’s mentality and how he continually willed his team to win and compete with the best in the world.
Terry Played Five More Years After Boston Stint
Unlike most NBA players, Terry continued playing until he was 40-years-old. Following his season in Boston, the 2011 NBA Champion spent time a season in Brooklyn followed by two years with the Houston Rockets and his final two seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks.
Terry was known as a sharpshooting veteran who could provide some secondary creation and veteran leadership in the locker room, which is part of the reason the Celtics sought him out during the summer of 2012.
At the end of his career, Terry boasted scoring averages of 13.4 points, 3.8 assists, and 2.3 rebounds per game while shooting an incredible 38% from three on 4.3 attempts per game. Considering “Jet” came into the league during 1999, before the pace and space movement swept through the league, those shooting averages are mightily impressive.
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First: JQ and Cam decide if the C’s are true contenders
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When discussing what enticed him to come to Boston in the first place, Terry noted that the opportunity to play with Garnett was a big factor and that he relished every moment of his time with the Celtics. “I relished every moment because I knew I was playing with one of the 50 greatest players to ever play the game,” Terry said.
Unfortunately, Terry never added to his single championship, despite stops with the Celtics and Nets, but he still had an exceptional career and is often overlooked when discussing impact players of years past.
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Kevin Garnett Nearly Vetoed Nets Trade Over Former Celtics Teammate