"It's in the hands of KG and Boston management now," a source said.
No trade can officially be consummated until July 10 -- when a leaguewide moratorium on signings and trades is lifted -- but the teams were making fast progress toward verbal agreement on a deal.
"It's very serious and can happen very soon," one source close to the talks said.
According to a Yahoo! Sports report, Brooklyn has agreed to send three first-round picks (2014, '16 and '18) along with Kris Humphries' expiring contract, Gerald Wallace, Tornike Shengelia, Reggie Evans and a sign-and-traded Keith Bogans to the Celtics for Pierce, Garnett and Jason Terry. By agreeing to add Terry to the trade, sources said, Brooklyn alleviated some of Boston's concerns about absorbing the remaining three years and $30 million on Wallace's contract.
Pierce has a team option for $15.3 million that the Celtics would have to pick up by week's end for such a deal to have any shot in July. Because Pierce is making nearly $17 million this season, Brooklyn needs the deal to wait until after the start of free agency and the lifting of the moratorium on July 10, since the $15.3 million figure is used in the trade.
Yahoo! Sports reported the Nets' pursuit of Garnett and Pierce as a package. The New York Daily News reported earlier this week that the Nets were chasing Garnett. Sources told ESPN.com the Nets hatched the idea of trying to acquire both Boston stalwarts in the same deal because Pierce's inclusion is seen as the surest way to persuade Garnett to waive his no-trade clause.
http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/94299 ... aul-pierce
