If Okafor can be had for Expirings, What could we get for Perk?

[Fan from VT]

Blah blah blah, trade ideas are dumb, they'll never happen, blah blah blah. There, that's out of the way.

First, this was inspired by this thread
http://forums.celticsblog.com/index.php?topic=32987.msg615355;topicseen#new

In which many players switched teams so that New Orleans could save a ton of money.

So this got me thinking. Is Okafor really available for expiring deals? If so, isn't Scal, Tony, Baby (for one year beyond this) a better deal than a worthless Kenny Thomas?

Let's say that Scal, Baby, Tony for Okafor would work. Then we'd have Perk and Okafor at center while still lacking some wing depth.

So what could we get by trading Perk?

Obviously I really like Perk. He's a great bargain; obviously Okafor is not worth 6 million more than Perk. However, keep in mind that:
1)There's no way we're entering free agency for the next couple years, no matter what. (beyond the MLE)

2) At that time, Perk will need an extension, so we'd either need to let him go for nothing or give him a hefty raise, probably at least 8 million, close to Okafor. So by that time, it's not like Perk would be a lot cheaper than Okafor.


So then, are any of these possibilities?

Perk for:

Golden State:
Morrow and one of Claxton/Turiaf
Kelene+Acie

Washington:
Foye and one of: McGee/Crittenton/Young

Minnesota:
Perk and a future first for:
Gomes/rights to Rubio (i know it's not happening, but man, that's the type of trade great teams make...they seem questionable, then a year or two down the road a franchise player suddenly appears)

Oklahoma City
Perk and a future first for:
James Harden
(would they think about it? It's hard to get a tough, defensive center, and perk is young enough to grow with the core of Green, Westbrook, Durant, and they probably won't be able to keep all four of Green, Westbrook, Durant and Harden and still add a quality center)

Pheonix
Perk+Walker for
Barbosa

Portland
Webster + Future First
Fernandez+Blake
Bayless + Outlaw(out 6-8 wks)


So which of those would the other team say "yes" to? And which of those would you do if we had Okafor replacing Perk?


Essentially, I think that
1. Okafor is an overall upgrade from Perk;
2. Is not that much more expensive after next season (when Pierce is coming off the books)
3. This would allow the team to upgrade slightly at center AND add a backcourt option or two buy getting rid of guys that haven't really played yet for the Celtics this year.

Imagine going out with:

Rondo/House
Ray/Daniels
Pierce
KG/Wallace
Okafor/Williams

As your 9 man rotation, but then also being able to throw Rudy Fernandez, Randy Foye, Barbosa, Azubuike, Harden, etc. out there. That wouldn't make us better this year and the next couple?



 

[PosImpos]

We're not going to trade starters unless we start to look like a .500 team.

[jambr380]

I don't know how much better Okafor is than Perk (if at all), but I like the idea. If we can trade our expirings into something of value, then it just gives us more pieces to move to upgrade our roster where needed.

I think there are a number of teams that would be interested in Perk, and although I am not looking to trade him, I would like to hear what teams may offer in order to get him.

I also really like Okafor and he is definitely a professional. He would fit right in here...again, Perk is the best deal in basketball and is as good of a one on one post defender in the league as there is, but whenever you can improve your team, you have to think about it...

[Fan from VT]

We're not going to trade starters unless we start to look like a .500 team.

Obviously one would have to think long and hard about tinkering with this lineup. But I also think it's pretty short-sighted to assume that no changes could be made or that there's not always room for improvement. Basically to marry yourself to a roster isn't always the right choice, just like tinkering or making changes isn't always the right choice. It's a balance, and a lot of teams have made mistakes both ways, by tinkering too much or by not looking at what is available.

[Donoghus]

To be honest, I'm perfectly comfortable with Perkins at center and am not convinced that Okafor is that much of an upgrade.

[Roy Hobbs]

I want no part of Okafor's horrific contract, especially after his work ethic and toughness was questioned this off-season / pre-season.

After this season, he's got four years, $53.2 million left on his deal.  This, for a guy who is a step worse than Perk on defense, and who has a questionable injury history and faulty character.

[xmuscularghandix]

BOOO!

[jdub1660]

i like Perk but I like the idea at least of seeing what's out there. I agree with Tony, Scal and BBD for Okafor.
Then I'd say Perk and a 1st rounder for Rudy Fernandez and Travis Outlaw. Now the Celtics become more healthy and younger w/o losing actual talent

Rondo, Daniels, Lester
Ray, Rudy, House
Pierce, Outlaw
KG, Sheed
Okafor, Sheldon

This would also allow Sheed to play more PF than C and hopefully he'd go more into the post

[Roy Hobbs]

Now the Celtics become more healthy and younger w/o losing actual talent

Outlaw is out until at least mid-January with a foot injury, so I'm not sure the trade would make us that much healthier. 

[Fan from VT]

I want no part of Okafor's horrific contract, especially after his work ethic and toughness was questioned this off-season / pre-season.

After this season, he's got four years, $53.2 million left on his deal.  This, for a guy who is a step worse than Perk on defense, and who has a questionable injury history and faulty character.

Really?

Okafor is one of the standup guys, at least according to everything I've heard. He's got a big contract, but what do you think Perk will get by that time?

Also, is he really a step behind Perk on defense? I really don't think so. I think he's quicker, especially in terms of leaping; he'd look even better if he were in Perk's situation. Also, games played last three years: 72, 78, 76 for Perk; 67, 82, 81 for Okafor.


All this is hypothetical based on getting okafor with our expirings/Baby to free up using Perk to get some athleticism on the wings. Ideally, I'd prefer to bypass the Okafor part and go straight for trading Baby/expirings for any of the people I listed in my first post. However, it looks like realistically, Okafor is the guy that could be had for expirings; Perk then may have more value than our expirings to go after some wing depth.

[Bahku]

No way would I want Okafor ... his game is very questionable at best, (and his attitude), especially defensively, and the money's not close to being right. Perk has some of the best game/stats of any center in the league ... so why would you want to get rid of that? Guess I'm old-school, but the only people I'd think about trading would be TA, BBD, Scal, and maybe JR ... don't mess with the core.

[Roy Hobbs]

I want no part of Okafor's horrific contract, especially after his work ethic and toughness was questioned this off-season / pre-season.

After this season, he's got four years, $53.2 million left on his deal.  This, for a guy who is a step worse than Perk on defense, and who has a questionable injury history and faulty character.

Really?

Okafor is one of the standup guys, at least according to everything I've heard. He's got a big contract, but what do you think Perk will get by that time?

See here:  Link.  His teammates thought he was milking an injury, so who am I to disagree?

Also, is he really a step behind Perk on defense? I really don't think so. I think he's quicker, especially in terms of leaping; he'd look even better if he were in Perk's situation.

The other night on the ESPN broadcast, they said that Dwight Howard said Perkins was the best opposing defensive center in the league.  Again, I'll trust people with first-hand experience.

[Atzar]

Given that our biggest threats in the Eastern Conference have Shaq and Dwight, do you really think it's wise to trade possibly the only center in the league who can slow them down?

[Donoghus]

I want no part of Okafor's horrific contract, especially after his work ethic and toughness was questioned this off-season / pre-season.

After this season, he's got four years, $53.2 million left on his deal.  This, for a guy who is a step worse than Perk on defense, and who has a questionable injury history and faulty character.

Really?

Okafor is one of the standup guys, at least according to everything I've heard. He's got a big contract, but what do you think Perk will get by that time?

Also, is he really a step behind Perk on defense? I really don't think so. I think he's quicker, especially in terms of leaping; he'd look even better if he were in Perk's situation. Also, games played last three years: 72, 78, 76 for Perk; 67, 82, 81 for Okafor.


All this is hypothetical based on getting okafor with our expirings/Baby to free up using Perk to get some athleticism on the wings. Ideally, I'd prefer to bypass the Okafor part and go straight for trading Baby/expirings for any of the people I listed in my first post. However, it looks like realistically, Okafor is the guy that could be had for expirings; Perk then may have more value than our expirings to go after some wing depth.

He can be had for expirings because his contract is atrocious.  

Perkins is cost effective and I think we use our expirings for better purpose than getting an overpaid less than stellar and less bulkier center.  

[Chris]

He's got a big contract, but what do you think Perk will get by that time?
 

This is exactly right, Perk will be getting a big contract in a couple of years.  However, just because Perk is not worth the $10 million a year he will get on his next contract, does not mean they should trade him for an even worse player who already has that contract.

If the C's don't want to pay Perk, then they are better off trading him over the summer, and finding a cheaper replacement, not trading for a guy like Okafor.