Trading Perk was not a "Larry Bird" trade

[Moranis]

 Danny has never suggested Red should have traded Bird and McHale in 87, only that he should have in 90.  

The trade offer was in '88.

You are correct it was the 88-89 season, Boston lost in the first round and Bird was in ankle casts much of the year.  Lost in the first round again in 89-90.  Conference semis the first two years in the 90's.  That team was done. 

Frankly, I wouldn't have made the Bird trade as I don't think it was all that great (if it included some firsts I might have).  The McHale trade looked pretty solid though, even back then and I would have made that one.

[prov1ml34]

In my estimation, even if Doc said "We will see" as to whether or not the trade has made us better, he also said he likes it from the standpoint that we now will have a unit to finish games similar to 2008 when we won the championship. We need a James Posey type guy and I think Green will be better than Posey.

So, the argument that Doc must think the trade isn't for the betterment of the team this year is not correct.

[droponov]

Yeah, I also think Ainge did this trade because he was worried with the lack of versatility in the team this season. He's looking at this year's playoffs - I'm not really sure if this improves the team for the future beyond that (it depends on the contract negotiations with Green vs. Perkins, that pick isn't significant).

Perkins presence, assuming the O'Neals can play, offered diminishing returns. Green fills a huge gap. That's why Danny did the trade, not because of the future. He prefers to gamble on the O'Neal's health than being sure about a crippled backcourt.

I disagree on the pick not being significant. It is the LAC 1ST ROUND PICK, THE CLIPPERS!

Yes it is top 10 protected ,but a possible pick in th 11-15 range of the lottery is not insignificant.

That pick could be packaged to bring in another young piece or Danny can work his magic in the draft. He drafted both Al Jefferson and Rondo around pick number 15, he is great at drafting in the mid 1st round.

Well, I should have written that the pick isn't significant in any major way. Late lottery is the absolute best case scenario, but I can see the Clippers jumping from a top-10 pick directly to the playoffs fairly soon. Ainge also selected Marcus Banks, Gerald Green and Telfair within that range. Generally it's a crap-shot, but productive role-player/good back is already an optimistic expectations for picks in that range.