The Boston Celtics have made big trades in the last 20 years or so. From bringing Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen to the team in 2007, parting ways with Paul Pierce and Garnett in 2013, and making a huge move to land Kyrie Irving in 2017, the C’s have gotten used to shocking fans with their decisions.
A year after landing Irving, they were ready to make another splash and had a host of draft picks ready to bring one of the most coveted players in the league at that time. Following his fallout with the San Antonio Spurs, Kawhi Leonard tried to find a new team in the league, and the Celtics were seen as a potential landing spot for him.
The Celtics had a series of picks to send to the Spurs, but the Texans didn’t want to start a rebuilding process and were focused on winning as soon as possible. Many teams were linked with a move for the Klaw, but most of them didn’t want to give up their best assets for Kawhi. Back in 2018, Adrian Wojnarowski said (via NBC Sports):
Embiid, Ben Simmons, Markelle Fultz – they’re off limits. Boston’s really got their top five players off limits. Boston’s more willing to do a deal that’s pick-heavy. But the Spurs want good players back. They don’t want to rebuild. They want picks and guys who can help them stay in the playoffs.
Zach Lowe said something similar, stating that the Celtics only wanted to trade draft picks, and that wasn’t compelling for the Spurs.
All the reporting from this sort of trickled in, I think the Celtics offered most of their best draft picks. I don’t think the Celtics just offered, “You could have a bunch of our picks.” I think some of the picks they own – at least two of the picks, if not all of them – that they own from other teams, including the Kings, Grizzlies and Clippers, I think those were all in the deal.
In the end, the Klaw found his way to Toronto, as the Raptors sent DeMar DeRozan to San Antonio in the blockbuster trade that would give the Canadians their first-ever NBA championship. Seeing how well the move worked for the Raptors, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reported that the Celtics regretted not moving Brown for Leonard when they had the chance.
I do know that there’s some regret from some people within the Celtics organization about not pulling the trigger on a Kawhi Leonard deal last summer.
They could have made a deal for Kawhi Leonard – my understanding, from kind of both sides of this – involving Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart. At least Jaylen Brown as the centerpiece of it all.
This could have been a terrific move for Boston, as Kawhi took the Raptors to the promised land beating the Milwaukee Bucks that previously dismantled the Celtics. Now, they’re linked with a move for another disgruntled superstar, Kevin Durant. Brown might be the key to unlocking negotiations, but it’s still early to say if they’ll pull the trigger to bring KD to TD Garden.
Perhaps they won’t miss out on a big chance again and will bring Durant to see if they can finally win that elusive 18th championship.
