Boston Celtics · Franchise era 7 of 7
Tatum and Brown: the Boston Celtics story
The story in one sentence
Draft capital from the Brooklyn trade became a durable homegrown core that made repeated deep runs and won the 2024 championship.
A patient rebuild becomes a champion
Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart and Al Horford gave the era its recognizable core.
Its final meaning is still being written.
Timeline
How it unfolded
Before 2013–14
What came before
Garnett and Allen joined Pierce, transforming Boston overnight into a defensive champion and a two-Finals team.
- 01TradeJuly 12, 2013
July 12, 2013
The trade that built Boston's next contender
The Nets wanted an instant title team. The Celtics accepted a painful teardown in exchange for years of control over Brooklyn's first-round future.
To BKNDraftPICKround asset+1 assets
To BOSDraftPICKround asset+6 assetsNets–Celtics blockbusterBKN receives Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, Jason Terry + 1 moreBOS receives Gerald Wallace, Kris Humphries, Keith Bogans + 6 more13 original assets · 4 outcomes tracedOpen trade → - 24TradeAugust 30, 2017
August 30, 2017
The rivalry trade that exchanged Kyrie Irving and Isaiah Thomas
Irving wanted his own team; Cleveland tried to remain a title contender while protecting a path into the post-LeBron future.
To BOS
To CLEDraftPICKround asset+2 assetsKyrie Irving to BostonBOS receives Kyrie IrvingCLE receives Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Žižić + 2 more6 original assets · 2 outcomes tracedOpen trade → 2022
NBA Finals: Boston Celtics vs Golden State Warriors
2023
Eastern Conference Finals: Boston Celtics vs Miami Heat
2024
NBA Finals: Boston Celtics vs Dallas Mavericks
Still unfolding
Where the story stands
This chapter remains active, so its final place in franchise history is still being written.
The core