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Celtics received: G Ray Allen, F Glen Davis
Sonics received: G Wally Szczerbiak, F Jeff Green, G Delonte West, 2008 2nd round pick
Celtics received: F Kevin Garnett
Timberwolves received: F Al Jefferson, G Sebastian Telfair, F Ryan Gomes, G Gerald Green, F Theo Ratliff, 2009 1st round pick, 2009 1st round pick
Heading into the 2007-08 NBA season, the Boston Celtics were coming off an ugly 24-58 finish and facing a title drought that dated back to 1985-86 when the Big Three of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale and Robert Parish anchored the list.
The Celtics had a hometown star in Paul Pierce, but the characters alongside him didn’t click, and a front office led by Danny Ainge went to work building a title contender, completing a pair of inextricably linked agreements.
Szczerbiak and West were packaged with fifth overall pick Jeff Green on draft night and sent to a rebuilding Seattle team in exchange for sharpshooter Ray Allen, who averaged 26.4 points and shot 37.2 percent from three-point range the year before.
A month later, the new Big Three was completed when Kevin Garnett was acquired from the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for five players and two picks, making it the most players ever traded in exchange for a single player in NBA history.
Garnett signed a three-year extension worth $60 million shortly after the trade was completed, erasing uncertainty over his contract year status, and the Celtics had their trio.
The pieces fit together perfectly and in their first season together, the Celtics went 66-16 and won the NBA title, with Pierce, Garnett and Allen all coexisting in pursuit of a title, while a young Rajon Rondo was also instrumental in the emergence. as a starting point guard.
Arguably no trade in professional sports has ever had a more immediate impact on the success of a franchise, and the fact that Ainge was then able to recoup his capital by sending Garnett and Pierce to the Nets is the icing on the cake.