The Brooklyn Nets went all-in on a blockbuster trade with the Celtics - and it's a total disaster 2 years later
The Nets gave up five players, three future first-round draft picks (2014, 2016, 2018), and the right to swap picks with the Celtics in 2017.
In return, they got Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, and Jason Terry to join what looked like a formidable core of Deron Williams, Joe Johnson, and Brook Lopez.
The Nets were all-in and considered themselves the top team to compete with the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference.
Two years later, the Nets don't have a single asset from that trade.
During the 2013-14 season, the Nets traded Jason Terry to the Sacramento Kings for Marcus Thronton, who has since been traded to the Celtics and Suns.
In Terry's absence, Pierce and Garnett helped Brooklyn make it to the second round of the playoffs in 2014, only to lose to the Heat in four games.
Last summer, Pierce left the Nets for the Washington Wizards in free agency, leaving Brooklyn with nothing in return.
Before Thursday's trade deadline, the Nets dealt Garnett to the Minnesota Timberwolves in exchange for Thaddeus Young.
With the Garnett trade, the only thing the Nets have to show from the five players and four draft picks they sent to Boston is Young, who can opt out of his contract this summer and become a free agent.
The Nets are currently 21-31, 10th in the Eastern Conference. They don't even get to enjoy the losing season by earning a lottery pick. Due to the Joe Johnson trade with the Hawks in 2012, Atlanta has the right to swap draft picks with Brooklyn this season, likely taking away the Nets' lottery pick and giving them a late first-round pick in exchange.
The Nets are capped out with over $82 million on their payroll this season. Johnson, Lopez, and Williams have all under-performed and are on the books until 2015-16, and 2016-17 in Williams' case.
With no cap room and no draft picks to call their own until 2019, the Nets are stuck in no man's land for the foreseeable future.