The Boston Celtics Top 10 Trades in History

This Boston Celtics trade is at the top of the list of the most lopsided transactions that have gone wrong in NBA history. Bill Russell, a centre from the University of San Francisco, was the player Red Auerbach wanted more than any other in the 1956 NBA Draft. Boston went all hard to get him, sending Hall of Famers Cliff Hagan and Ed Macauley to the Hawks in exchange for the No. 2 selection. Celtics owner Walter Brown also pledged to loan the Ice Capades to Cincinnati in order to prevent them from selecting Russell as the first choice.

Thus, the agreement was fulfilled and history was recorded. When Russell led Boston to the 1957 NBA Finals, everything appeared to be going well for the Hawks. However, the Hawks, under the leadership of Macauley, Hagan, and Pettit, returned the next year and beat Boston in the NBA Finals. Over the course of the following 11 seasons, Russell and the Celtics eliminated any chance of debate by winning 10 NBA titles, five MVP trophies, and a completely new model for defensive domination in the NBA.

The greatest trade in club history will always be attributed to Red Auerbach’s basketball acumen and Walter Brown’s determination to go above and beyond to get Bill Russell to Boston.

You might also be interested in reading this: 5 WORST moves in the NBA franchise Boston Celtics history

2. Robert Parish And Kevin McHale

Another instance of Red Auerbach’s superior intelligence above everyone else in the room occurred on the day of the 1980 NBA Draft. The Celtics, who had the first overall choice in the NBA Draft, took advantage of the league’s obsession with Purdue University’s Joe Barry Carroll to acquire centre Robert Parish from Golden State for the third overall pick. Kevin McHale of Minnesota was selected by the Warriors with their third pick, creating one of the best trios in NBA history.

The Celtics now had a Big 3 in Bird, Parish, and McHale to lead them into the future after acquiring Larry Bird. In 1981, 1984, and 1986, the three would go on to win three NBA titles in that decade. Parish was the defensive nightmare and walking double-double for opponents, playing the role of enforcer in the centre. After shattering the starting lineup, McHale went from being one of the NBA’s top bench players to one of the best power forwards of all time.

Once more, Red Auerbach’s brilliance produced a championship run for the Celtics that is storied in both NBA and Boston history.

3. Robbery Of The Brooklyn Nets

There are still aftereffects from the third-greatest trade in Boston Celtics history. In 2013, the NBA players Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett were all but done, at least for those who lived in the Boston region. The problem lies in the fact that these two, together with Jason Terry, were eating up a large chunk of Boston’s revenue and leaving them ill-prepared for what was ahead.

Enter the Brooklyn Nets, who were keen to make a big impression on the trade market and led by a millionaire owner. Then, in exchange for a number of supporting players and—more importantly—a plethora of draft selections to help shape their future, Garnett, Pierce, and Terry were traded to Brooklyn. They would choose Jaylen Brown, a two-time All-Star and All-NBA team selection, with their choice from the transaction in 2016. They would acquire Jayson Tatum in 2017 by making Brooklyn their No. 1 overall selection.

In essence, Boston transformed Garnett and Pierce’s ageing contracts into one of the NBA’s top teams in the 2020s. Over the previous 20 seasons, it was the NBA’s greatest turnaround.

4. Kevin Garnett

Many people suspected Minnesota Timberwolves president Kevin McHale of collaborating with the team where Kevin Garnett played his entire playing career since the 2007 trade involving the Timberwolves and Boston Celtics was so one-sided. This is due to the fact that Boston managed to get Garnett without having to forfeit funds that would have changed the franchise.

Garnett immediately fulfilled Boston’s expectations after being acquired. Arguably their most valuable player throughout their run to the 2008 NBA title, he was awarded the league’s Defensive Player of the Year in 2008. After playing for six seasons in Boston, Garnett averaged 15.7 points, 8.3 rebounds, 1.2 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. He was selected for five All-Star teams, four All-Defensive teams, and one All-NBA Team team.

5. Ray Allen

During the 2007 summer, the Boston Celtics made many significant trades in addition to acquiring Kevin Garnett. The Celtics made a big splash on NBA Draft night when they acquired All-Star and one of the league’s best shooting guards, Ray Allen. After joining Paul Pierce in Boston, the athletic and skilful Allen persuaded Kevin Garnett to agree on a move to Beantown a few weeks later.

In retrospect, Allen was considered the Celtics team’s third option in the late 2000s, but on many occasions, he was the greatest player on the floor. With an average of 17.4 points per game on 39.8% three-point shooting in his debut season with the Celtics, Allen was an All-Star once more. In the playoffs, he would go on to average 15.6 points per game and help Boston win their first NBA championship since 1986.

After spending five seasons in the Boston area, Allen averaged 16.7 points per game on 47/40/91 shooting. He will go to two NBA Finals, win one NBA championship, and be chosen as a three-time All-Star in 2008.

6. Jayson Tatum

Another illustration of Danny Ainge’s brilliance during his time as the team’s general manager is the next trade in Boston Celtics history. With the first overall choice in the 2017 NBA Draft, they had their eyes set on Jayson Tatum of Duke University, while Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball were being pursued by the other elite teams.

With this information in hand, Boston handed Philadelphia their first selection, which they utilised to acquire Fultz, while the Lakers selected Lonzo Ball as their second overall choice. Tatum was able to fall into Boston’s lap as a result, positioning them for future success. Tatum flourished in Boston, and things have been going uphill for him ever since, while Fultz and Ball suffered in their respective new places.

Tatum has already guided the club to four Eastern Conference Finals berths and one NBA Finals in his seven seasons with them. In addition, he has broken and set other Celtics records. He has been selected as an All-Star four times and as a member of three NBA teams.

7. Dennis Johnson

The Boston Celtics pulled off another theft in 1983, with Tiny Archibald at the end of his career and on his way to Milwaukee, making them one of the two teams to beat in the 1980s. Dennis Johnson, a perennial All-Star and past Finals MVP, was shockingly purchased by the Celtics from the Phoenix Suns in exchange for Rick Robey and draft money.

Johnson took over as Boston’s starting point guard/shooting guard for the course of the following seven seasons. During his seven seasons with the franchise, he averaged 12.6 points, 6.4 assists, and 1.2 steals per game. In 1984 and 1986, he helped the team win two NBA titles. As Boston’s first line of defence on those championship teams, Johnson would also get four choices to the All-Defensive Team.

8. Rajon Rondo

Few people were aware of the Celtics’ accomplishments on draft night in 2006 when they promptly acquired Rajon Rondo, the 21st overall pick in the NBA, in exchange for a 2007 draft selection. Less than a year before they completely upended the NBA by adding both Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, it was the first move in their grand scheme.

Rondo had a brief period of adjustment as a rookie, but he flourished as a starter in 2007–08 and helped Boston win the NBA title in 2008. He quickly established himself as one of the NBA’s top point guards, and in 2010 he assisted Boston in returning to the NBA Finals. Rondo would play for nine seasons in Boston, finishing each game with an average of 11.0 points, 4.7 rebounds, 8.5 assists, and 1.9 steals.

Overall, throughout his stint with the Celtics from 2007 to 2015, Rondo would win four All-Star selections, two assists titles, one steals title, one NBA Team selection, and four All-Defensive Team selections.

9. Isaiah Thomas

Not much was said when point guard Isaiah Thomas was acquired by the Boston Celtics from the Phoenix Suns in 2015. Thomas was seen to be small and a difficult player for a team to develop around. As Thomas developed into one of the NBA’s best point guards over the following two seasons, Boston would once again demonstrate how excellent their scouting department was.

In 2016 and 2017, Thomas would have consecutive All-Star seasons, averaging 25.5 points and 6.1 assists per contest. In 2017, he would even come in fifth in the MVP vote and narrowly lose out on being named to the All-NBA Team. Along the way, he persevered through personal sorrow and injuries to produce some unforgettable postseason performances and victories.

Thomas was surprisingly moved to Cleveland for Kyrie Irving after the 2017 season, but he was never able to recapture the magic he had in Boston.

10. Kendrick Perkins

The last trade in Celtics history that completes our top 10 is one that is still mostly unknown. The Celtics were searching for the ideal big man to give them a tough and physical advantage in the paint on draft night in 2003. The Boston Celtics acted quickly after the Memphis Grizzlies selected Kendrick Perkins with the 27th overall pick. They sent Troy Bell and Dahntay Jones to Memphis in exchange for Perkins.

Perkins’ career stats may not have been very impressive, but the intangibles he added to a team were invaluable. In addition to helping the Celtics win their 17th NBA championship in 2008, his defensive skills, rebounding, and muscular playmaking were crucial to their run to the Finals in 2010. During his first eight NBA seasons, Perkins became a Boston icon, and Danny Ainge’s genius was once again responsible for making it all happen.

These are the Boston Celtics top 10 trades in history. Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.