Top 5 reasons you can't blame: Danny Ainge for trading Perkins to the Thunder

[BASS_THUMPER]

queen perk.?..lol..wow...really it was wrong to call him that but that tickled me a lil..lol

[hwangjini_1]

JO and/or Shaq > Perkins

...

as much as i loved perk on the team, i agree that JO and shaq are the better centers. as i watched them play when perk was out, i was surprised at how having a good, scoring center made life so much easier for the rest of the team.

[guava_wrench]

I love Perk like the rest of us, and felt like the wind was knocked out of me when he got traded. We WILL miss his toughness. Add as many 7 footers as you like, but the strength and beef and defensive prowess WILL be missed.

However, I recall the plantar faciatis (sp?) in the early days. One (or 2) shoulder surgeries ... and then a knee issue (or two). The guy is/was a warrior, but the injury prone point has some validity for me.

This is somewhat unrelated to the post, BUT ... I think it should also be noted that the Celtics organization showed IMMENSE faith and spent $10M+ "investing" in Perk's development before he really produced much of anything as a pro. That entire rookie deal was pretty much spent not knowing if he'd develop or not. The Celtics got great value on the 2nd Perk contract, but bear in mind Perk signed that while he was injured with no guarantees that he'd ever really produce. Hence, the Celtics showed Perk incredible faith and gave him stability for a long long time.

I'm happy they did, and I'm sure he's happy we did. I guess what I'm getting at is that I am ready to buy into the new squad (after a few days to exhale), and I'm happy about Perk's past as a Celtic and think it was very fair for Perk, the Celtics and us fans.

I was surprised that so many people forgot the shoulder issues, considering his should gave out in the finals in 2008.

I am secure enough to admit I don't know how Perk's career will play out.

[dlpin]

Has there ever been a greater mismatch between imagined and actual skill than with Perkins on this board?

I don't mean to say that Perkins is a bad player, or even that the trade was good. It might very well end up being a bad trade.

But do people really think that Perkins is the difference between being champions and being bounced in the first or second round? That Perkins is so dominant that the team went from the 1st seed to .500 based on that alone? That Perkins was such a great guy that, somehow, just knowing he was on the team (without practicing or traveling with them) made 4 veteran players much, much better?

We might lose to the knicks, we might lose to the heat. We might even be embarrassed in the process. But if that is the case, I guarantee that the reason won't have been the Perkins trade. Perkins, as tough and good as he is, is far from being the difference between a championship and an early exit.

[GreenFaith1819]

Osirus, I certainly see your points...but as for the comment about Perk's offensive game, I'm not sure if you are giving him credit for that 08-09 playoff run.

Perk played admirably on the offensive end in that CHI and ORL series...he had no KG to look out for him and pass him the ball...he was really the only low-post threat we had those two series, because Powe was hurt, too.

And Glen even then was shooting jumpers.

To be honest - looking back I don't know how he did it. But he did in fact average 12 pts, 12 rebs and nearly 3 blocks in those two series, against the likes of Noah and Dwight.

http://www.nba.com/playerfile/kendrick_perkins/career_stats.html

As for your other points -  I am admittedly weary of any more Perk discussions, because I miss the big fella still. My frame of thought about it all probably lies somewhere in between yours and Roy's, to be honest.

Wish you the best, Kendrick - just not against us. Should you make it to June, I will be rooting loudly against you, big fella.

May Nenad, JO, and Shaq abuse you (and Serge) in the paint, and give you nightmares

[Brendan]

One of the reasons should have been:

With MD out for what appears to be the year and the wing players on the Heat - we need a better option on the bench for SF. Going with JO/Shaq/Kristic at Center is a gamble, but going without a SF is a bigger one.

[scoop1977]

We might lose to the knicks, we might lose to the heat. We might even be embarrassed in the process. But if that is the case, I guarantee that the reason won't have been the Perkins trade. Perkins, as tough and good as he is, is far from being the difference between a championship and an early exit.

It depends - mostly on the O'Neals' health and form. 

A player like Perkins can easily be the difference between a championship or coming short.

Don't underestimate the importance of elite role-players. Defense, rebounding and doing the little things are hugely important traits.

[OsirusCeltics]

JO and/or Shaq > Perkins

You forgot that reason.  You already brought in Centers better than Queen Perk.  You dont pay 9M per for someone who plays 20 mins per game for your team. You give that money to guys like Ibaka, not Queen Perk.

Exactly.  The upgrade from an out-of-position Green to Ibaka has more to do with OKC's improvement than Perk, IMO.

TP Totally right. It was OKC becoming more conventional as far as lineups that improved their play

[youcanthandlethetruth113]

Great post on all fronts. You should submit it to ESPN.

[GreenFaith1819]

Great post on all fronts. You should submit it to ESPN.

Exactly. I get so tired of seeing that caption at the bottom of the screen that says "Celtics 15-12 since Perk trade", or something to that effect.

Even they appear to be jaded with Perk. They sometimes contribute to the confusion rather than just disect the trade in detail - like it's done here on the blog.

It sometimes seem like more of a smear campaign against Danny and Doc than anything else just my opinion.

[dlpin]

It depends - mostly on the O'Neals' health and form. 

A player like Perkins can easily be the difference between a championship or coming short.

Don't underestimate the importance of elite role-players. Defense, rebounding and doing the little things are hugely important traits.

A player like Perkins can easily be the difference between a championship and falling short, but a player like Perkins is not the difference between a championship and falling in the first or second rounds.

[OsirusCeltics]

Great post on all fronts. You should submit it to ESPN.

Exactly. I get so tired of seeing that caption at the bottom of the screen that says "Celtics 15-12 since Perk trade", or something to that effect.

Even they appear to be jaded with Perk. They sometimes contribute to the confusion rather than just disect the trade in detail - like it's done here on the blog.

It sometimes seem like more of a smear campaign against Danny and Doc than anything else just my opinion.

Great points
Just today on ESPN first take, they had a segment called "Who's to blame for the Knicks' lost?"

Seriously? Lol

[clover]

One of the reasons should have been:

With MD out for what appears to be the year and the wing players on the Heat - we need a better option on the bench for SF. Going with JO/Shaq/Kristic at Center is a gamble, but going without a SF is a bigger one.

Exactly.  With Miami in the likely path to the finals, especially, Danny made the calculation that he needed the greater strength at the 3 more then the upgrade he'd have got in having Perk rather than Krstic as a 2nd or 3rd string center.

[GreenFaith1819]

Great post on all fronts. You should submit it to ESPN.

Exactly. I get so tired of seeing that caption at the bottom of the screen that says "Celtics 15-12 since Perk trade", or something to that effect.

Even they appear to be jaded with Perk. They sometimes contribute to the confusion rather than just disect the trade in detail - like it's done here on the blog.

It sometimes seem like more of a smear campaign against Danny and Doc than anything else just my opinion.

Great points
Just today on ESPN first take, they had a segment called "Who's to blame for the Knicks' lost?"

Seriously? Lol

They did?

Well, I have two words for that answer - and his name is Ray Allen!!!!

[Roy H.]

One of the reasons should have been:

With MD out for what appears to be the year and the wing players on the Heat - we need a better option on the bench for SF. Going with JO/Shaq/Kristic at Center is a gamble, but going without a SF is a bigger one.

Exactly.  With Miami in the likely path to the finals, especially, Danny made the calculation that he needed the greater strength at the 3 more then the upgrade he'd have got in having Perk rather than Krstic as a 2nd or 3rd string center.

That was Danny's calculation, no doubt (along with questions about setting the team up better in the future).  I'd rather have Perk + Anthony Parker than Krstic + Green, but I guess reasonable minds can disagree.

I do think it's funny that there's been another surge in anti-Perk talk this morning (not directed at you, clover), on a night where Green and Krstic were largely invisible.