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NETS ACQUIRE GARNETT, PIERCE, TERRY

The Nets have traded multiple assets to bring future Hall of Famers Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce to Brooklyn

By GMJigga
USA TODAY Sports

It is the most transformational Nets trade since Rod Thorn traded Stephon Marbury for Jason Kidd. Brooklyn added two surefire Hall of Famers in Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett to their roster while sending away half their first round draft picks over the next six years along with five players.

The landscape of the Eastern Conference has changed with the deal. Suddenly, the Nets must be considered in the first ranks of championship contenders with a veteran club that has serious credentials.

The news of the deal came shortly after the second round of the NBA Draft began. The twittersphere, primed by nine non-stop hours of rumors exploded The rumors began shortly before 1 p.m. with a tweet by Adrian Wojnarowski. Chris Broussard was the first to tweet that the deal had been agreed to in principle by the two sides.

The definitive tweet, however, came from the reporter who broke the story just before 1 p.m. and led the coverage throughout the day.

The last hurdle to fall was getting Garnett to sign off on his no-trade-clause. Woj also reported that the Nets sweetened the pot for KG, agreeing to guarantee Garnett's full $12 million salary in 2014-15, which could have been bought out for $6 million.

In the final deal, the Nets will send Kris Humphries, Gerald Wallace, MarShon Brooks, Keith Bogans (via sign-and-trade), Kris Joseph, draft picks in 2014, 2016, 2018 and the right to swap first round picks in 2017 to Boston. The Celtics will send Garnett, Pierce and Jason Terry in the exchange, although one league source said the Nets may try to move Terry to a third team. Earlier reports had Tornike Shegelia going to Boston, but Joseph's contract is only partially guaranteed this year, while Shengelia's is fully guaranteed, potentially saving the Celtics $700,000.

The deal began more simply with the Nets offering Humphries and the 2016 first round pick for Pierce, who had informed Boston management that if they were going to trade him, his preferred destination was Brooklyn. After that deal had been agreed to, the two sides decided to expand its parameters to include Garnett, two additional picks and Wallace, a contract that many had thought untradeable.

It was the third huge (and risky) trade for Billy King since he was hired in July 2010. In February 2011, after failing to acquire Carmelo Anthony, he was able to trade for Deron Williams. Then, last July, he traded for Joe Johnson, who had one of the league's biggest contracts.

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