The 2007 trade that sent Kevin Garnett to the Boston Celtics impacted the league, the franchise, and KG’s career immensely. That is why when behind-the-scenes stories of that trade come out, it packs a lot of surprise and intrigue even now. Former Celtics star Al Jefferson’s recent revelation that KG wasn’t initially willing to join the Celtics would come as a bonafide shock for most.
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Jefferson had personal interest in the Garnett trade. His initial refusal gave Al hope that he would not have to uproot his life in Boston. At the time, four years into his NBA career, the power forward was well settled in his role with the Celtics and was looking forward to being teammates with Ray Allen and Paul Pierce. He would get traded if KG came in.
“First KG said he wasn’t coming. So, I’m [thinking] it’s going to be like me, Paul, Ray Allen, then all of a sudden…,” said Jefferson on the Out The Mud podcast.
Jefferson would never forget the day he got to know about KG’s decision to join the Celtics. The shock was that big. He was in Jackson, Mississippi, on his way to the airport to catch a flight to Boston when he received the phone call about the development.
It was more of a shock because till then everything pointed at the opposite direction. KG’s agent, Andy Miller, had issued a statement a few days prior, putting all rumors of Durant joining the Celtics to rest.
“The Boston trade isn’t happening. If a trade were to happen, that’s not a destination that we’re interested in pursuing,” Miller had told ESPN.com.
Not too long after that, Garnett signed with the franchise in a trade that sent Jefferson, Gerald Green, Ryan Gomes, Theo Ratliff, and Sebastian Telfair, along with draft picks to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
KG, of course, went on to not just appreciate but celebrate his decision later.
Garnett wished he had joined the Celtics sooner
KG was embraced by the Celtics’ fans upon his arrival. And once he gave them an NBA title to cherish in 2008, Garnett became a lifelong hero for the C’s. In 2020, on the eve of his Hall of Fame induction, KG elaborated on the love he received from the Celtics fans.
“The fanbase in Boston was over the top. People following you home, people standing outside your gate when you get home, people wanting to pump your gas. The fan level in Boston was just another level, but I learned to embrace it,” Garnett told a press conference.
And he wished he had not shown the initial reluctance.
“My only regret in any of this is that I should have came to Boston a little earlier, other than that it was magical,” added KG.
Despite leaving Boston in 2013 and now nearly a decade after his retirement, the Celtics fans still adore Garnett for the great moments he provided in the six seasons he was in Boston.
