On this day in Boston Celtics history, the storied franchise dealt away the remainder of the Banner 17 title team in 2013. The Celtics traded big man Kevin Garnett, forward Paul Pierce, guard Jason Terry, and forward D.J. White to the Brooklyn Nets in exchange for forwards Gerald Wallace and Kris Humphries, wing Keith Bogans, guard MarShon Brooks, forward Kris Joseph.
The deal would also include three future first-round draft picks and the right to swap first-round picks in the 2017 NBA draft. The move put an end to a 15-season career with the team for Pierce, and six for Garnett: Terry and White had played just one season each with Boston.
One of the most lopsided trades in NBA history, the Celtics would begin using the haul to rebuild immediately. Only out of the playoffs for a single season, team president at that time Danny Ainge pulled off one of the better jobs rebuilding a program after its core aged out in modern league memory.
It is also the birthday of former Boston big man Paul Silas, who was born in 1943 in Prescott, Arkansas.
Silas would come to the team in a deal with the Phoenix Suns in 1972 and while unhappy at first, would become a friend of team president Red Auerbach and eventually embrace his status as a Celtic.
He would play four seasons with Boston, winning titles with the team in 1974 and 1976, making an All-Star team in 1975, and winning several other honors while with the team.
Silas averaged 11.5 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 2.7 assists with the team before being traded to the Denver Nuggets in 1976 in a three-team deal that brought back forward Curtis Rowe.
It is also the birthday of former Celtics forward Mel Riebe, born in 1916 in Cleveland, Ohio.
Riebe would be drafted by the Celtics in the dispersal draft of the defunct Cleveland Rebels of the Basketball Association of America (BAA – a precursor league to the NBA).
Happy birthday in heaven Mel Riebe. #Celtics pic.twitter.com/9jmQvkUS3J
— Honest☘️Larry (@HonestLarry1) July 12, 2021
The College of Wooster product would play just two seasons with Boston before he was dealt with Chick Halbert to the (now defunct) Providence Steam Rollers for George Nostrand.
Riebe logged 10.5 points and 1.7 assists (rebounds were not being tracked yet) over that stretch.
Ex-Boston guard Mike “Red” Wallace shares the birthday as well, born in 1918 in Simpson, Pennsylvania.
A member of the club’s inaugural roster of the 1946-47 season, he would play just 24 games with the team before he was traded to the (now defunct) Toronto Huskies for Charlie Hoefer. He averaged 5.5 points as a Celtic.
Happy birthday in heaven Al Butler! #Celtics pic.twitter.com/Y5Qv5LBGWI
— Honest☘️Larry (@HonestLarry1) July 9, 2021
Finally, it is also the date that point guard Al Butler left us in 2000.
The Niagara product was selected by the Celtics in the second round 17th overall in the 1961 NBA draft and played just 5 games for Boston in the subsequent season before his contract was dealt to the New York Knicks for cash.
Butler averaged 6.2 points and 2.6 rebounds per game with the team over that period — rest in peace.
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