Perk wants to sign long term with Thunder

[droponov]

The Thunder can offer him a 4 years/$36 millions extension right away. If he wants to avoid being worried about what the new CBA may bring, he may sign one with them right away.

The Thunder are bound by the same 4 year, $23.4 million contract limit that the Celtics were.  In free agency, though, OKC is a good fit for Perk.

That's not correct. The Thunder can offer him a larger contract than the Celtics. Not $36 millions, but around that. $35 millions maybe. I haven't done the math.

[j804]

OKC is my second team always loved those young guys out west, now with Perk in the fold pshh

It's still Beat LA! 

[action781]

A perfect scenario for Boston is that LA meets OKC in the playoffs...has to deal with their youth...has to deal with the physical Nick Collison and Perkins...has to deal with a roaming Serge Ibaka....take LA to 7 games and then let them have to travel to Boston a day or two later to face the Celtics.

No, a perfect scenario has OKC beating LA in 7.   

Sorry, I know celticsbloggers would rather us beat LA, but my focus is on the highest probability of winning 18, not who we beat for 18.  And with Perk gone now, LA is one of the 2 teams we suddenly match up poorer against than before, but I'm still extremely confident we'd school OKC.

[jimmehx]

Reading that article you can't help but think that perk is faking those sentiments.

Two days into his tenure with OKC and he's saying he's absolutely sure they're his first choice for free agency? He just wants some job security, knows that OKC can pay his asking price and is trying as hard as he can to get himself to the top of their 2012 priority list.

Good on him. Wish we could have paid him what he needed.

[Change]

Great fit.

I'm just not sold on Serge Ibaka as their longterm PF. He doesn't bring enough Offense from that spot for the Thunder to rely on. Ibaka is energy guy who should be coming off the bench. The other 4 spots for OKC imo are set (PG SG SF C) Westbrook, Harden, Durant, and Perkins. They need to find a scorer at the 4.

[BballTim]

Reading that article you can't help but think that perk is faking those sentiments.

Two days into his tenure with OKC and he's saying he's absolutely sure they're his first choice for free agency? He just wants some job security, knows that OKC can pay his asking price and is trying as hard as he can to get himself to the top of their 2012 priority list.

  One would guess that if you trade a player like Green and a pick for an impending free agent your first order of business is to let the player you traded for know that he's a very valuable player and an important part of your future. Perk's big on loyalty as far as I can see and (in addition to it being near his home) the fact that OKC obviously wanted him there probably means something to him.

[GreenFaith1819]

I know this much - when I traveled cross-country from CA to VA, after I transitioned from the Navy, Oklahoma was by far the NICEST state we traveled through.

All sorts of people - just nice folks.

It is hard for Perk right now, but I have no doubt that those fans there will get behind him and cheer as loudly for him as Boston fans did.

[barefacedmonk]

I liked this part.

Perk showed up to OKC practice today with green-tinged shoes. They got him some orange ones quickly

- Chris Forsberg

[FLCeltsFan]

Of course Perk wants to sign with OKC and stay there.  Perk is very loyal.  He was hurt when he was traded but now OKC is his team.  He didn't choose to leave the Celtics, Danny did.  Danny made it obvious that the Celtics no longer want him and won't pay him.  the Thunder welcomed him with open arms and love him already.  Of course they are his first choice this summer.  Like I said, Perk's a loyal guy and the team he is on is his first choice. 

[FLCeltsFan]

The OKC fans are great.  I've been chatting with some on one of their boards and they welcomed me there as a Celtic fan and a Perk fan.  They were planning to get together and greet Perk at the airport when he got there to let him know how happy they are that he is there.  He's going to fit in there very well and will love it there. 

[mmbaby]

Yeah, 2 days and he's saying that. It breaks my heart to see him go. It's tough being in the NBA and to be told you're leaving with no advance warning after working so hard to come back from injury seems overly harsh.

[mmbaby]

Okl. fans sound great. I sure hope they are there to greet him at the airport. He really needs that.

And thanks for your service, Greenfaith, TP

[Rondo_is_better]

Probably because he feels so hurt.

[clover]

The OKC fans are great.  I've been chatting with some on one of their boards and they welcomed me there as a Celtic fan and a Perk fan.  They were planning to get together and greet Perk at the airport when he got there to let him know how happy they are that he is there.  He's going to fit in there very well and will love it there. 

Ha!  No matter how passionate the sports fans in Boston, they're/we're still snarly Bostonians.

[aporel#18]

Of course Perk wants to sign with OKC and stay there.  Perk is very loyal.  He was hurt when he was traded but now OKC is his team.  He didn't choose to leave the Celtics, Danny did.  Danny made it obvious that the Celtics no longer want him and won't pay him.  the Thunder welcomed him with open arms and love him already.  Of course they are his first choice this summer.  Like I said, Perk's a loyal guy and the team he is on is his first choice. 

It's what I thought, but I couldn't write it so well. TP

You can visit the Perk and Nate in Thunder jerseys thread to get how Perk feels about it.