Thank you Danny Ainge for ruining this season

[Marcus13]

There was no guarantee that we were going to win the title... and we'll still go deep into the playoffs so I don't see how this has ruined the season. For me, I think it's given me something to talk about.

Making the Finals was all but a given.  Miami and Chicago were simply not as talented as us and we proved that.  Chicago has now beaten us head-to-head and in the record race with Miami approaching quickly

[CeltsAcumen]

While I am not gonna throw this season out the door just yet, I would like to make two simple comments.

1)  The OP has a right to feel disenfranchised by the Perkins trade.  You can spit shine the deal all you want but the Celtics did "lose" something valuable in this trade.  Again, team chemistry means more than having a young player to help rebuild and in addition, Jeff Green is NOT Kobe Bryant.  So it goes both ways.

2) Pro-Green trade people, you do understand that if the Celtics do not win the Championship, you lose the argument?  Ainge will probably get fired, Doc will leave and most likely end up coaching the Heat (were he will win another title or two), Perk will have several opportunities to win a title in OKC and the Perkins trade will go down as the worst mistake in Boston-sports franchise history.  Yes even worse than Babe Ruth, he wasn't about to win a Championship when he got moved.

I do hope all you Green people are correct, but man if Green doesn't work out or Shaq and JO cannot find a way off the disabled list and help in the playoffs, you guys look foolish.

[Fafnir]

While I am not gonna throw this season out the door just yet, I would like to make two simple comments.

1)  The OP has a right to feel disenfranchised by the Perkins trade.  You can spit shine the deal all you want but the Celtics did "lose" something valuable in this trade.  Again, team chemistry means more than having a young player to help rebuild and in addition, Jeff Green is NOT Kobe Bryant.  So it goes both ways.

2) Pro-Green trade people, you do understand that if the Celtics do not win the Championship, you lose the argument?  Ainge will probably get fired, Doc will leave and most likely end up coaching the Heat (were he will win another title or two), Perk will have several opportunities to win a title in OKC and the Perkins trade will go down as the worst mistake in Boston-sports franchise history.  Yes even worse than Babe Ruth, he wasn't about to win a Championship when he got moved.

I do hope all you Green people are correct, but man if Green doesn't work out or Shaq and JO cannot find a way off the disabled list and help in the playoffs, you guys look foolish.

This is terrible reasoning, even with Perkins there was no guarentee we get back to the Finals let alone win a title.

No  matter how this season turns out Ainge won't be fired. Ownership puts too much trust and credit in him for building a contender for the past four years. Which is exactly the right view to take from an ownership group.

[StartOrien]

1)  The OP has a right to feel disenfranchised by the Perkins trade.  You can spit shine the deal all you want but the Celtics did "lose" something valuable in this trade.  Again, team chemistry means more than having a young player to help rebuild and in addition, Jeff Green is NOT Kobe Bryant.  So it goes both ways.

He certainly has a right to feel disenfranchised, even if the subject header is a bit overdramatic.

Of course we lost something valuable in this trade. That's how trades work. I don't think anyone on this page will debate that.

Again, I'll ask you what I asked on the first or second page: Give me the minutes breakdown of the backup 2 and 3 and ask yourself if you felt comfortable with it. I didn't. To me it was going to demand too many minutes out of Pierce or require minutes out of Von Wafer (or some other reserve 3) that he couldn't handle.

I didn't want to lose Perk but I have more faith in what we have at center post-trade than I did at small forward pre-trade

[More Banners]

I apologize in advance, cuz I'm sure you've answered this question a billion times, Roy, but what would you've done about the lack of the backup 3?  My memory is far from great, was there someone that was moved at the deadline that we might've had a shot at?

Reports are that we could have had Anthony Parker, and there's some speculation that we could have landed Battier; Houston is rumored (or at least speculated) to be the 3rd team in the Nate Robinson / Brandan Wright trade that we backed out of.

I would have taken either.

If you look at what Houston ended up getting for Battier, it seems extremely unlikely that we could have gotten him.  As for Anthony Parker, I'm skeptical as to how useful he would have been.  In my mind he'd have been little better than Michael Finley was for us last year, maybe a bit more mobile.

While I can appreciate that you believe trading Perk was too much, I think some kind of significant trade was necessary.  We weren't going to go all the way riding Pierce with no real wing backup.

I think the question of whether we could have matched Memphis' offer to Houston depends upon how much you see Thabeet as a legit prospect.  Since he's currently in the D-League and hasn't contributed a thing for Houston, I'm not sure that they see a lot of value of him.  We'll see, I guess, but I think expiring contracts (including Brandan Wright, and Marquis' deal paid by insurance) + Semih + #2 would have been enough.

Regardless of what you think of Thabeet, if this offers on the table there's no way Danny turns it down. Just doesn't add up to me.

Is it that hard to believe that Danny preferred Krstic + Green + #1 to Perk + Battier minus #1? 

I would have much preferred Battier without giving up Perk, but there are a lot of folks who would disagree, based upon Green's youth and versatility.

No question, if Battier were to simply walk through the door as a FA pickup, that would be just awesome.

But the GM's job is to look at the big picture, right?  And in the big picture, both Perk and Battier would be likely to leave, and the team would need to reload with fewer assets than the C's have had since the 90's.  Instead, we have Green, who, as a RFA under current rules, is likely to remain in Green for at least several years and may bridge to the next title-quality core.  Neither Perk nor Battier could claim that.

It is going to get harder and harder to attract FA's of the caliber we would need to make a title run with the current core.  Danny is a gambler, as we know, and took a gamble that could pay off handsomely, and it doesn't significantly harm our chances this year (while improving them in the future).  It was a good deal.

I wouldn't give up much in terms of assets to rent a player.  Battier, and Perk if he were still here, would have been de facto rentals.  Instead, we have one, potentially two, building blocks. 

[StartOrien]

I think you're probably more likely to see Green leave than you would Battier.

EDIT: He'd be an intriguing free agent this offseason.

[cornbreadsmart]

I trust Ainge. Everyone always bashes him and he almost always ends up being right. Having said that, I still don't want green or kristic on this team next year,really if POSSIBLE. i think Green is overrated in every category.  Can't defend THAT well. Can shoot ok but not enough to where I'd ever be comfortablke with him taking a deep OPEN jumper. Doesn't hit the boards hard. Star potential? No way. No grit. If he had his brain and Tony Allen's grit we'd have something. He reminds me of Ryan Gomes. Poise,class, and one of the last guiys you will fine diving for a loose ball.

[Roy H.]

If he had his brain and Tony Allen's grit we'd have something. 

Man, a player who combined the best attributes of Tony and Green would be pretty fun to watch.

[bbd24]

Ainge ruining the season ?  Try pointing a finger at the players on the court, namely the core 4.  Their playing, not Danny.

You went 35-12 without Perkins. You weren't crying then. Why ?  Because the core 4 were playing great. You were also somewhat healthy, minus Perkins. Now, when they struggle, and your injured, your ready to throw in the towel ?

Pleeeeease.

Ainge kept you competing this year, and set you up for the future.  You have a top seed this year for the playoff run, and have options going forward for big things.  Helluva move by Danny.

I'll put my money on Ainge.  He knows more than anyone posting here.  If I really want to cry about Perkins, heck, I'll package up the C's future pick combined with the Clipper 1st rounder and grab someone far better than King Perk.

[Roy H.]

If I really want to cry about Perkins, heck, I'll package up the C's future pick combined with the Clipper 1st rounder and grab someone far better than King Perk.

If something "far better" was available for the Clippers pick and a future #1, why didn't OKC make that deal, rather than giving up Green (as I recall, a far better player than Perk in his own right?)

[TradeProposalDude]

I've been a Celtics fan for almost 50 years and I follow them daily during the regular season.  As soon as I heard about the Perkins trade, I knew the Celtics would be in trouble. With the Celtics being 10-8 since the trade, I think my fears have been confirmed.

The loss last night to the Pacers is just another example of the confusion the Perkins trade has caused. The players on the team were very close before the trade from public comments by Garnett, Pierce etc made after the trade.  Perkins and Rondo were close friends, and I believe the chemistry of the team has been destroyed. Hence the title to my post > thanks Danny for overreacting to what other teams were doing.

I also think an early exit this year from the playoffs will result in the retirement of Doc Rivers. I believe the Perkins trade will be looked upon as the end of the era of Garnett, Allen and Pierce...the team will never be the same again.  Back to rebuilding, if not next year, then the year after.  It has been fun while it lasted.  Mike

I wouldn't write them off until Shaq returns. Remember when Perk was out early in the year and Rondo was dishing out 16 assists a night while Shaq routinely had field days? One of the main reasons Ainge completed the Perkins trade, as he stated, was because of Shaq's productivity early in the year. I'm not a believer in Krstic personally, but he has a role on this team to play and he's done a fair job. Green is just gravy because he adds a dimension that this team hadn't had before.

[droopdog7]

While I am not gonna throw this season out the door just yet, I would like to make two simple comments.

1)  The OP has a right to feel disenfranchised by the Perkins trade.  You can spit shine the deal all you want but the Celtics did "lose" something valuable in this trade.  Again, team chemistry means more than having a young player to help rebuild and in addition, Jeff Green is NOT Kobe Bryant.  So it goes both ways.

2) Pro-Green trade people, you do understand that if the Celtics do not win the Championship, you lose the argument?  Ainge will probably get fired, Doc will leave and most likely end up coaching the Heat (were he will win another title or two), Perk will have several opportunities to win a title in OKC and the Perkins trade will go down as the worst mistake in Boston-sports franchise history.  Yes even worse than Babe Ruth, he wasn't about to win a Championship when he got moved.

I do hope all you Green people are correct, but man if Green doesn't work out or Shaq and JO cannot find a way off the disabled list and help in the playoffs, you guys look foolish.

This is terrible reasoning, even with Perkins there was no guarentee we get back to the Finals let alone win a title.

No  matter how this season turns out Ainge won't be fired. Ownership puts too much trust and credit in him for building a contender for the past four years. Which is exactly the right view to take from an ownership group.

You know, although I completely disagree with Acumens logic, the truth of the matter is that most everyone will judge the trade that way; and it is quite unfair.

But basically, I see exactly what DA saw.  Not only was there no guarantee that the Celts would have returned to the finals (much less win it), but I don't think we would have gotten there.  The hole on the wings was simply too big. 

Not only would PP and Ray have turned to dust by the end of the season, but the imoportant match ups in the east were not in our favor.  Who did we have that could remotely help against lebron and wade?  Or even kobe if we got that far?

In the meantime, as was already mentioned, we'd likely be 10 games under .500 if we kept Perk and still sustained the injuries we have.

[Roy H.]

In the meantime, as was already mentioned, we'd likely be 10 games under .500 if we kept Perk and still sustained the injuries we have.

In other words, not only would we have lost every game since the trade, but we would have been required to give back ten of our wins, too. 

[droopdog7]

In the meantime, as was already mentioned, we'd likely be 10 games under .500 if we kept Perk and still sustained the injuries we have.

In other words, not only would we have lost every game since the trade, but we would have been required to give back ten of our wins, too. 

I was lazy but I meant 10 games under .500 since about the all-star game.  Why people couldn't figure this out I don't know 

[Larry for 3]

While I am not gonna throw this season out the door just yet, I would like to make two simple comments.

1)  The OP has a right to feel disenfranchised by the Perkins trade.  You can spit shine the deal all you want but the Celtics did "lose" something valuable in this trade.  Again, team chemistry means more than having a young player to help rebuild and in addition, Jeff Green is NOT Kobe Bryant.  So it goes both ways.

2) Pro-Green trade people, you do understand that if the Celtics do not win the Championship, you lose the argument?  Ainge will probably get fired, Doc will leave and most likely end up coaching the Heat (were he will win another title or two), Perk will have several opportunities to win a title in OKC and the Perkins trade will go down as the worst mistake in Boston-sports franchise history.  Yes even worse than Babe Ruth, he wasn't about to win a Championship when he got moved.

I do hope all you Green people are correct, but man if Green doesn't work out or Shaq and JO cannot find a way off the disabled list and help in the playoffs, you guys look foolish.

This is terrible reasoning, even with Perkins there was no guarentee we get back to the Finals let alone win a title.

No  matter how this season turns out Ainge won't be fired. Ownership puts too much trust and credit in him for building a contender for the past four years. Which is exactly the right view to take from an ownership group.

You know, although I completely disagree with Acumens logic, the truth of the matter is that most everyone will judge the trade that way; and it is quite unfair.

But basically, I see exactly what DA saw.  Not only was there no guarantee that the Celts would have returned to the finals (much less win it), but I don't think we would have gotten there.  The hole on the wings was simply too big. 

Not only would PP and Ray have turned to dust by the end of the season, but the imoportant match ups in the east were not in our favor.  Who did we have that could remotely help against lebron and wade?  Or even kobe if we got that far?

In the meantime, as was already mentioned, we'd likely be 10 games under .500 if we kept Perk and still sustained the injuries we have.

That's why the real stupid move in this whole saga was not re signing Tony Allen.  Yes Tony Allen.  For a measley 3 million dollars and an extra year.  Chump change for Wyc and Co.  Think about it people :   You re sign Tony Allen  the that means Marquis doesnt come back, then he doesn't get hurt in A Celtics uniform (which is the real cause of the Perkins trade) , and your back up wing defender problem is solved with one of the best defensive role players in the league.  Pretty simple to me.  The 2010-11 Celtics season was derailed because Danny Ainge wouldn't give Tony Allen 3 years and 9 million dollars.  Pathetic, just pathetic Danny.  Everybody and their grandmother knew Marquis would get hurt, he gets hurt every year,  but i dont know for the life of me why Tony Allen is not on this team.