With the benefit of hindsight, do you think Danny regrets the Perk trade?

[Roy H.]

Danny got good "on paper" value for Perk, but my guess is that he'd undo the trade if he could.  I think he over-estimated Shaq's ability to return at a high level, and I think he expected more from Green than he's gotten.

The trade could still look good in the future, but when you're a contender, "the future is now", as they say.  I think Danny would prefer the greater certainty of having Perk versus praying for the health of Shaq, JO, and Krstic.  I think Danny would have preferred to find a competent backup 3 via trade, while maintaining strong depth up front.

[Jon]

Too early to tell.  And given that the games obviously would've been different had the trade never been made, we can never know what might've happened had Perk stayed (for all we know, he could've hurt himself playing here). 

Let's see just how bad this Shaq injury is before we get carried away. 

[Roy H.]

Too early to tell.  And given that the games obviously would've been different had the trade never been made, we can never know what might've happened had Perk stayed (for all we know, he could've hurt himself playing here). 

Let's see just how bad this Shaq injury is before we get carried away. 

Well, the point of the thread was kind of "as of this moment".  Looking at the trade, today, would Danny ask for a mulligan or not?

[bruinsandceltics]

Absolutely.

And I was a big fan of the trade at the time it was made. Looks like it is going to backfire on us. Although things can change come playoff time.

[Chris]

Not in the slightest.  I think Danny made the trade based on value.  I don't think he liked Perks game, and truly felt that he was incredibly overrated.  He knew he had two chances to have a healthy, starting quality center, and was getting a quality backup center in the trade.  That kind of risk is right in his comfort zone, and I don't think he really regrets many things when he weighs the risks like this.  

[PosImpos]

I think Danny realized that in making the trade he was making a gamble that Shaq, JO, and Krstic would be enough depth at center.  Impossible to say yet if he's wrong, but early returns don't look great.

That said, knowing what little I do of Danny, I'd hazard a guess that whatever happens, he'll say that the gamble he took was worth taking.

It's important to remember that even without the trade this team would have had little to no depth whatsoever for a good chunk of time.  I'm not sure I'd have any more confidence in a center rotation of Perk / JO and an oft-injured Shaq vs. JO / Krstic and an oft-injured Shaq.

Danny has always been very up front with his desire to ensure that this team has a bridge to the future post-Big 3.  I think in his mind it's just as important to try to ensure that this team has a future post-Big 3 as it is to improve their chances at Banner #18 this year.  Therefore, I think from Danny's perspective the fact that we have Green and will have all of next season (whatever of it we get) to look at him is enough to mostly justify the trade, no matter what happens.

[birdwatcher]

Why would he? He tried to make the team better and deeper, and on paper he did so. Has it worked out? Not yet. And we won't know for sure until the playoffs are over. Could Perk have prevented Rondo for having a slump? Could he have helped him get out of it? Could Perk make Baby stop shooting like an uzi? Could Perk help Ray shoot better? Could Perk sub in for Ray or Pierce, or play PG when Delonte hurt himself again?

[Who]

Nope -- Danny will stick to his original assessment.

It'll take a lot more than this for Danny, or any other top GM, to change his evaluation of a trade.

[GreenFaith1819]

Well, to answer Roy's question - Yes. Right now, I'm sure Danny's concerned, but right now is taking too early a snapshot of the season.

Besides, OKC seems to be in a little slide, too........

[Roy H.]

Not in the slightest.  I think Danny made the trade based on value.  I don't think he liked Perks game, and truly felt that he was incredibly overrated.  He knew he had two chances to have a healthy, starting quality center, and was getting a quality backup center in the trade.  That kind of risk is right in his comfort zone, and I don't think he really regrets many things when he weighs the risks like this.  

So, with the playoffs looming, Danny doesn't for a minute say "Jeez, it made sense at the time, but now that Shaq and Krstic are injured, and with Green being spotty, I'd rather have Perk"?

Decisions can make sense at the time, and still not work out in hindsight.  It's kind of like the JO free agent signing; at the time it made sense, but in hindsight I imagine we'd sign Kurt Thomas and use our MLE on somebody else.

[GrandTheftRondo]

It will go down as one of the worst trades in history if Shaq really is done. There's no way he's not regretting it right now.

Even if Shaq does come back in some kind of way...it will still be remembered as an awful trade. Period.

I really wish I knew what Danny saw that the rest of us didn't see in regards to Shaq and JO being able to successfully replace Perk after they barely played and have been nursing injuries all season. Because from what I've seen from these two over their careers and what I've seen this season I personally would never have even fathomed it but I have to assume that he knew something we weren't privy to. Either that or Danny Ainge is criminally insane.

[Jon]

Too early to tell.  And given that the games obviously would've been different had the trade never been made, we can never know what might've happened had Perk stayed (for all we know, he could've hurt himself playing here). 

Let's see just how bad this Shaq injury is before we get carried away. 

Well, the point of the thread was kind of "as of this moment".  Looking at the trade, today, would Danny ask for a mulligan or not?

I still don't think so.  We still have yet to play a game with two legitimate centers for an entire game.  Even if Shaq's injury is worse than it appears, we should have Krstic and JO on Tuesday.  

[Roy H.]

Why would he?

Well, just off the top of my head...

... Shaq got re-injured, and is a huge question mark;

... Krstic is injured, and has looked soft and lost on defense;

... Green has been inconsistent, and oftentimes invisible;

... the team has looked pretty terrible since the trade; and

... Perk has looked great in OKC.

I understand the argument that "on paper" the trade made sense, but looking back on it now, isn't there some room for second guessing?

I would be very surprised if Danny, Doc, the players, and the majority of fans wouldn't reverse the trade, if they didn't have to admit they were wrong in the process.

[fairweatherfan]

No, for the simple reason that he made it.  Danny's got a lot invested in this trade, and I don't think he's going to do a 180 on it this soon.  After the playoffs is when second-guessing is more likely to happen, depending on how things shake out for us and OKC.

[Chris]

Not in the slightest.  I think Danny made the trade based on value.  I don't think he liked Perks game, and truly felt that he was incredibly overrated.  He knew he had two chances to have a healthy, starting quality center, and was getting a quality backup center in the trade.  That kind of risk is right in his comfort zone, and I don't think he really regrets many things when he weighs the risks like this.  

So, with the playoffs looming, Danny doesn't for a minute say "Jeez, it made sense at the time, but now that Shaq and Krstic are injured, and with Green being spotty, I'd rather have Perk"?

Decisions can make sense at the time, and still not work out in hindsight.  It's kind of like the JO free agent signing; at the time it made sense, but in hindsight I imagine we'd sign Kurt Thomas and use our MLE on somebody else.

I don't think he does.  First of all, Krstic will be back.  So, thats not an issue.  

I know you never liked the trade.  But, that doesn't mean Danny regrets it.  I think having 1 of the Oneals healthy fits right into his plans (and currently JO looks good), and I think he is still very happy with the value of the trade for the future of the franchise.  

I know he does not want to give up the present for the future, but Danny has always shown an inclination to look for that balance, and not give up the future for the present either, and I think he will look at the risk he took as being worth it.

He probably looks at it, and sees that they may have slightly lowered their chances this season (I don't think they have been lowered as much as you do...and I am not yet convinced they are lower at all, particularly if JO can stay healthy), but he has also put his team in a better position to be better down the road.  I really cannot see him, at this point in the year, second guessing it.

Now, if they do get knocked out of the playoffs, and he believes Perk would have been the difference, then he might second guess himself a bit.  But why would he do it right now, when JO (who has a potential to be better than Perk on this team) is healthy, and Krstic has been cleared.  

Obviously this is all speculation, and in everyones case, it will be dramatically colored with our personal views of the trade.  But no, I do not think Danny regrets that trade one bit.