Inside The Rockets

Celtics Used Nets Trade To Build Title Contender; Can Rockets Do The Same?

The Rockets have to take advantage.
Jeremy Brener|
Celtics Used Nets Trade To Build Title Contender; Can Rockets Do The Same?
Celtics Used Nets Trade To Build Title Contender; Can Rockets Do The Same?

When the Boston Celtics take the court for the NBA Finals, they will be led by their two stars Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum.

Both are former No. 3 overall picks that were acquired in one of the biggest trades in NBA history.

Back in 2013, the Celtics and Brooklyn Nets pulled off a deal that is still sending shockwaves through the NBA.

The Nets wanted to buy now and the Celtics wanted to rebuild. By 2016, when the Nets' second first-round pick went to the Celtics, it was as high as No. 3, and the team took Brown.

The following year, the pick swap was conveyed and it allowed the Celtics to draft at No. 1, but in a small trade back, the team picked No. 3 and chose Tatum, who has proven himself to be the best player from his draft class.

This exact trade is why the Houston Rockets made a similar deal with the Nets for James Harden back in Jan. 2021. But instead of three first-round picks and a swap, the team got four first-round picks and four pick swaps, going all the way until 2027.

The Nets have already underperformed and Harden's already left town. With rumors that Kyrie Irving could also be exiting Brooklyn, the Rockets might be able to pull off a similar heist.

This year's draft pick is listed at No. 17, but that number is expected to rise as the life of the deal continues.

And depending on the Rockets' timeline, they can use these picks to either draft young incoming talent or trade them for a win-now piece when they're ready.

It's impossible to know whether general manager Danny Ainge expected the Celtics to be a title team nine years after making that trade, but if that's the case for the Rockets, some exciting times are coming ahead.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several On SI sites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid and resides in Central Florida. He graduated from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener.

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