Paul Pierce came close to tears. Kevin Garnett fought the deal to the end. But at least one player involved in the blockbuster traded between the Celtics and Nets could not have been happier to get a new address.
In the early versions of the rumored traded on draft night, Nets big man Reggie Evans was reportedly headed to Boston. Evans, who is a fan favorite in Brooklyn, probably would not have enjoyed being moved. It turns out he was never part of the deal, anyway.
MarShon Brooks ultimately was, which was just fine with him, according to Stefan Bondy of the New York Daily News. The 24-year-old guard “communicated he wanted out” of Brooklyn even before the deal took form, Bondy reports.
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This adds some intrigue to the Celtics’ acquisition of the third-year guard. Although talented, Brooks fell out of favor with coaches Avery Johnson and P.J. Carlesimo for his aversion to defense, causing his playing time to plummet to 12.5 minutes per game from 29.4 minutes per game as a rookie.
What’s more, the Providence product has not exactly been a bundle of joy with the Celtics, either. He certainly does not need to skip around with a smile on his face all the time, but the fact that he tried to force his way out of his previous stop makes one wonder how he will react to his playing time, which has been limited this preseason as he continues to show little to no interest in playing the defensive end.
