Former Brooklyn Nets general manager Billy King recently shared that one of the objectives of the franchise’s trade for champions Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett in 2013 was to eventually lure superstar Kevin Durant.
Nets GM Billy King told me of Boston deal:
"The focus was Durant. It wasn't LeBron, it was: Do EVERYTHING we can to put ourselves in position to get Durant…I was in a position where he saw me—and knew. You just make sure that, if you do everything right, they take notice"(2/6)
— Matt Sullivan (@sullduggery) May 23, 2021
Billy King cont'd on #Nets selling farm for Big 3 in '13 to lure KD to BK in '16 free agency:
"We had done a great job with the branding & opening, & if we can be a playoff team, we can get on national TV, & when it came time, we would be able to get in the conversation." (3/6)
— Matt Sullivan (@sullduggery) May 23, 2021
In June 2013, the Nets acquired the aging veterans in exchange for numerous first-round picks.
Certainly, the Nets’ all-in move didn’t pan out as the team got clobbered in the second round of the 2014 playoffs to the Miami Heat. In the following years, the Nets struggled to look like a contender as the team parted ways with several of its primary players.
Although the Heat’s dynasty came to an end in 2014 when four-time MVP LeBron James went back to Cleveland, they stayed relatively competitive. The Nets, on the other hand, went into a full rebuild with no superb draft capital in store.
However, the Nets turned their program around and built a formidable culture. In 2019, the franchise picked up Durant and All-Star Kyrie Irving in free agency. Earlier this year, the Nets traded for former MVP James Harden.
The Nets are currently taking on the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2021 playoffs. The Nets defeated the Celtics in Game 1 on Saturday by a score of 104-93.
