Yeah, sure Perk wanted to stay a Celtic

[17wasEZ]

Just read this in a Yahoo article:

"Perkins said he was interested in playing for Oklahoma City as early as last offseason, when he discussed with agent Arn Tellem whether the Thunder might be interested in him when this season was over. He ended up moving sooner than he expected, and was initially shaken up at being traded away from the only NBA team he’d ever played for."

And:

“I hope I can be here. I want to be here,” Perkins said. “I couldn’t find a better situation for myself. I really want to be here and this is just a great organization, just learning every day, just being around, it’s overwhelming.

“I do want to be here and hopefully we can work something out. They are the first option, the first team on my plate with free agency coming up or whatever it may be. I just know Oklahoma City will be my first option.”

http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/news;_ylt=AgVmGej9qpqDZ8bxsBKdxuu8vLYF?slug=ap-tougherthunder

I'm not doubting his loyalty to his "Brothers" or the Celtic organization, but it sounds like Danny saw the writing on the wall more than some of us.

[pearljammer10]

What else would the guy say?

"Man, I can't believe I got traded here. I really love Boston and wish I was still there" ??

Of course hes going to say stuff like this.

[barefacedmonk]

"Perkins said he was interested in playing for Oklahoma City as early as last offseason, when he discussed with agent Arn Tellem whether the Thunder might be interested in him when this season was over. He ended up moving sooner than he expected, and was initially shaken up at being traded away from the only NBA team he’d ever played for."

And yet not one soul that is related to Celtics in any capacity picked up on it. No reporter, fan, player, insider, the wind.

Useless stories leaking out now that he has left. He is a Thunder player now and that's where his loyalty lies. Ofcourse they are going to be his first priority. What else can we expect?

[BballTim]

"Perkins said he was interested in playing for Oklahoma City as early as last offseason, when he discussed with agent Arn Tellem whether the Thunder might be interested in him when this season was over. He ended up moving sooner than he expected, and was initially shaken up at being traded away from the only NBA team he’d ever played for."

And yet not one soul that is related to Celtics in any capacity picked up on it. No reporter, fan, player, insider, the wind.

Useless stories leaking out now that he has left. He is a Thunder player now and that's where his loyalty lies. Ofcourse they are going to be his first priority. What else can we expect?

  Who would pick up on a conversation between a player and his agent? He was under contract so OKC couldn't really have discussions with them (that they'd ever admit to). He did discuss testing the free agent waters, didn't he?

[barefacedmonk]

"Perkins said he was interested in playing for Oklahoma City as early as last offseason, when he discussed with agent Arn Tellem whether the Thunder might be interested in him when this season was over. He ended up moving sooner than he expected, and was initially shaken up at being traded away from the only NBA team he’d ever played for."

And yet not one soul that is related to Celtics in any capacity picked up on it. No reporter, fan, player, insider, the wind.

Useless stories leaking out now that he has left. He is a Thunder player now and that's where his loyalty lies. Ofcourse they are going to be his first priority. What else can we expect?

He did discuss testing the free agent waters, didn't he?

Maybe. I don't know.

[fairweatherfan]

OKC was always the most logical free agent destination for Perk.  It's no secret Presti desperately wanted a defensive 5, and they were one of the few teams who'd have room to offer more than the MLE.  And I doubt they'd've traded for him if they didn't plan to resign him in the offseason.

It doesn't surprise me at all that Perk and his agent had talked about this kind of stuff; every player does as contract time approaches.  I don't think this makes him "disloyal" to the Cs, just a guy who wanted to be aware of his options.

[barefacedmonk]

OKC was always the most logical free agent destination for Perk.  It's no secret Presti desperately wanted a defensive 5, and they were one of the few teams who'd have room to offer more than the MLE.  And I doubt they'd've traded for him if they didn't plan to resign him in the offseason.

It doesn't surprise me at all that Perk and his agent had talked about this kind of stuff; every player does as contract time approaches.  I don't think this makes him "disloyal" to the Cs, just a guy who wanted to be aware of his options.

Makes a lot of sense when its put like that. Time to move on, I guess.

[Celtics18]

"Perkins said he was interested in playing for Oklahoma City as early as last offseason, when he discussed with agent Arn Tellem whether the Thunder might be interested in him when this season was over. He ended up moving sooner than he expected, and was initially shaken up at being traded away from the only NBA team he’d ever played for."

And yet not one soul that is related to Celtics in any capacity picked up on it. No reporter, fan, player, insider, the wind.

Useless stories leaking out now that he has left. He is a Thunder player now and that's where his loyalty lies. Ofcourse they are going to be his first priority. What else can we expect?

Thank you.

This guy's a team player, and OKC is a good, young organization that Perk could fit in with really well.  I'm sure it was hard to leave the place that he grew up as a man and as a basketball player, but one of the things we love about Perk is that he's not likely to be the type to sit around and cry about his lot.  

I expect Perk to give his all to the Thunder, and quickly become a valuable member of that team and a favorite of his teammates and the fans.  I hope he signs an extension with them and has a long successful career alongside Durant and Westbrook, Et Al.

[17wasEZ]

What else would the guy say?

"Man, I can't believe I got traded here. I really love Boston and wish I was still there" ??

Of course hes going to say stuff like this.

No doubt.  But the fact that he was already mentioning OKC before this season started tells me that Danny did the right thing by getting something for him now rather than rolling the dice with Perk when the season ended.  

Had the C's not won the championship this season AND Perk left, Boston would have been a VERY old team next season with holes to fill at the wing and the 5.

Just saying that Danny did the right thing no matter what anyone's heart says about keeping Perk.

[fairweatherfan]

OKC was always the most logical free agent destination for Perk.  It's no secret Presti desperately wanted a defensive 5, and they were one of the few teams who'd have room to offer more than the MLE.  And I doubt they'd've traded for him if they didn't plan to resign him in the offseason.

It doesn't surprise me at all that Perk and his agent had talked about this kind of stuff; every player does as contract time approaches.  I don't think this makes him "disloyal" to the Cs, just a guy who wanted to be aware of his options.

Makes a lot of sense when its put like that. Time to move on, I guess.

Look at this way: you love the place you work, but your contract is about to run out, and so you look around and say, "That'd be a good place to work too.  They're looking for guys with my skills and are willing to pay for them.  I'd definitely take a job there if they offered me a big raise."  Nothing more to it.

[barefacedmonk]

OKC was always the most logical free agent destination for Perk.  It's no secret Presti desperately wanted a defensive 5, and they were one of the few teams who'd have room to offer more than the MLE.  And I doubt they'd've traded for him if they didn't plan to resign him in the offseason.

It doesn't surprise me at all that Perk and his agent had talked about this kind of stuff; every player does as contract time approaches.  I don't think this makes him "disloyal" to the Cs, just a guy who wanted to be aware of his options.

Makes a lot of sense when its put like that. Time to move on, I guess.

Look at this way: you love the place you work, but your contract is about to run out, and so you look around and say, "That'd be a good place to work too.  They're looking for guys with my skills and are willing to pay for them.  I'd definitely take a job there if they offered me a big raise."  Nothing more to it.

[Jon]

What else would the guy say?

"Man, I can't believe I got traded here. I really love Boston and wish I was still there" ??

Of course hes going to say stuff like this.

That's what he'd say if he was Randy Moss...