Isang tawag lang ni Pierce ang kinailangan

MANILA, Philippines - Nagsagawa ng mga hakbang at gumastos ng malaki ang Brooklyn Nets ngayong offseason para mapalakas ang kanilang tsansa sa pagsikwat sa NBA title.

Tampok dito ang kanilang blockbuster trade sa Boston Celtics para makuha sina Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett at Jason Terry.

Noong Martes, ipinakilala ng Nets ang tatlo sa press conference.

Naging masaya ang okasyon at punung-puno ng kasabikan para sa kanilang kinabukasan.

Kagaya ng malalaking NBA deals, muntik nang di ito matuloy.

Ayon kay Pierce, hindi sigurado ni Garnett kung hindi niya gagamitin ang kanyang no-trade clause para maglaro sa Brooklyn.

Tinawagan ng longtime Celtics star si KG para kumbinsihin siyang mapasama sa trade.

“It was a situation where [the Celtics] were going to make a move, and once the deal with the Clippers didn’t go through for [Garnett], it was like, the Celtics were trading me, Doc was leaving, so what was left for Kevin?” paliwanag ni Pierce. “I talked to [bagong Nets coach] Jason Kidd, and he was warming me to the fact of coming to Brooklyn, then he started warming me to the fact that they were trying to get Kevin, too.

“That’s when I called Kevin and asked him what he thought about coming to Brooklyn, he immediately said, ‘Well, what pieces are they going to give up? Who is going to be left? Is it going to be possible for us to win a championship?’ He was excited when I talked to him after warming him up, just to have the opportunity to come and win a championship and be alongside a young prospect like Brook Lopez, who he can try to take to the next level. And once I warmed him up to that, he was all in for it.” [...]

Sinabi naman ni Garnett na umayon siya kay Pierce na kailangan ng pagbabago.

“I don’t like change much. When I commit to something, I like to go all-out,” ani Garnett. “ It’s unfortunate. Obviously, when I saw the Doc Ri-vers situation I knew that the writing was on the wall even before then. It was tough leaving Rondo and other things, but this is a new chapter with new things to embrace, and that’s what I’m doing.”

Ilang seasons ang itinagal ni Garnett sa Minnesota Timberwolves bago siya nagdesisyong umalis.

Ngunit ang naka-kagulat nito, isang tawag lamang mula kay Pierce ang kinailangan para makumbinsi si Garnett na lumipat sa Brooklyn.