I've come to terms with "the trade" being a total failure. Perk's presence seems to be helping the Thunder. Meanwhile every time I see Jeff Green, I have the remind myself that he's been in the league for 4 years. He looks like a wide-eyed overwhelmed rookie. I was completely wrong about that guy.
But putting that aside... this team still has 4 freakin allstars who have at times this year individually looked brilliant. Jermaine O'Neal has shown a surprising amount of life and seems to give the Celtics about 50% of what Perk gave them. Delonte West is a solid basketball player. Nenad Krstic was the starting center on a playoff team last year. Jeff Green isn't a TOTAL bum... Glen Davis can put up numbers. The guys we aren't even using (Troy Murphy, Pavlovic, Arroyo) have all at least proven themselves to be legitimate NBA players. On paper, this is an incredible collection of talent.
My pessimism at this point isn't related to the trade. It's that these guys don't seem capable of executing. In the first two games I didn't see any fire. What's going on with this team? Don't tell me it's the trade. Does it all boil down to injuries or do these guys need to get broken up? I'm watching them and I get the impression the lockerroom has been a cold place these days. There is something going on with this team that we aren't aware of.
For example: I Read quotes that Rondo lost his passion for the game earlier in the season (BEFORE the Perk trade). I guess a fat contract will do that to a player. The article suggested his passion had returned. Not so sure I buy it. It might be a problem. I couldn't help but think about that in game 2 when Pierce was screaming at Rondo.
I think that you, like a lot of people, are looking at the trade the wrong way. This was never about comparing Green to Perk. It is about comparing Perk to his replacement and Green to what we might have gotten otherwise.
From Green's side, he has definitely been a disappointment. I epxected more and thus far, he hasn't delivered. That said, I don't know that someone like Parker would have given us muc more? Maybe we would have gotten less.
In terms of Perk's replacement (JO), I think it is close to equal. I mean, defensively they are comparable and offensively, JO is actually better.
Of course, the biggest problem is that we could have had both JO and Perk. That is where the Shaq injury really becomes from and center.
Had Shaq been able to play, then I think the trade is a success regardless. And if we are criticizing the trade because DA should not have trusted Shaq, then I get that. On the other hand, when you look at the pieces that were exchanged and what we still had left on the team, then I don't think that the trade was a failure at all.
Topic: I feel like something is going on with this team (Read 2938 times)