According to the Boston Globe, Chauncey Billups, one of Kevin Garnett's good friends, helped sway the big man to join him in the Eastern Conference.

Garnett sought counsel from two of his closest friends in the NBA, Billups and the Hawks' Tyronn Lue while contemplating the move from Minnesota to Boston.

At first Garnett did not want to leave Minnesota but in the end realized a trade would be best for the Timberwolves and his own future.

Lue told the Globe: "I talked to KG and it was tough at first because he's so loyal to Minnesota, his family, friends, and the fans. All he knew was Minnesota for the last 12 years. I thought Boston would be a great situation, a perfect situation with Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. I thought automatically they'd be in the Eastern Conference finals with KG. He thought about it and asked, 'You think so?' I said, 'Yeah.'

"Then, Chauncey came out and said, 'You have to take the best thing for you and that's playing in Boston, even though we'd be in the same conference and play four times a year.' We definitely convinced him to choose Boston because two great players were already in place. Adding KG and being in the Eastern Conference, it'd be easier to win.

"Then, KG asked me, 'What about the city?' I said, 'You don't go out anyway, so it doesn't matter. You don't go out of the house. You could play in Alaska.' He's like, 'Yeah, you're right.' "