Kendrick Perkins traded to Thunder, Jeff Green, Nenad Krstic to Celtics

[Nelson14]

why he hell do the boston make all these moves????

[dutchguy]

why he hell do the boston make all these moves????

Because they were afraid that Perk might walk after this season, and also that he might not walk i.e. get injured again.
More important maybe, they really really really needed a back-up 3 for marquis daniels.


I'm really interested how this will play out. On paper Krstic might be able to replace perk, or at least be adequate, but if you read what KG and PP said about the move it could really have a backlash on the team chemistry, and that with only 2 months till playoffs.

[QUOTE=Bostonherald]
As for whether the trade will help the Celts, there was uncertainty.

[JohnnySic]

but if you read what KG and PP said about the move it could really have a backlash on the team chemistry, and that with only 2 months till playoffs.

That is my biggest fear, the potentially lost chemistry. This was possibly my favorite Celtics team of all time. The '08 championship team felt slapped together (in fact, it was). This was a "team" in the truest sense of the word. Even Nate, even if you didn't like his game, was a great character and a great team guy. The guys got along; there was that magic that hadn't been there since '08.

I will withhold judgement on the basketball product until Ainge is done rebuilding. There are 3 spots to fill...

[Tlova]

Is Danny Ainge a Jackass???? Why would you trade perkins if the celtics are built to win now? Not only does he mess with the chemistry, but he gave up the celtics advantage of strong post defense, rebounding, and toughness. I find it hard to believe he couldn't get battier since all it took was thabbet and a first round pick. I'm guessing he didn't watch game 7 when the absence of perk was exposed, so what does he do he gets rid of him for jeff green and a soft center? He also gave OKC what the needed to beat LA, i wouldn't be surprised if the Thunder make it to the finals

[StroShow4]

]he gave up the celtics advantage of strong post defense, rebounding, and toughness.

Celtics never had any rebounding advantage. 29th in the league over the last two years.

[Tlova]

Perkins>Kristic in rebounding. If you thought the c's struggled with rebounding now just wait until nenad's in the post.

[dutchguy]

I will withhold judgement on the basketball product until Ainge is done rebuilding. There are 3 spots to fill...

I believe that all the important pieces are in place now

krstic/shaq/o'neal?
kg/baby
pp/green
allen/wafer
rondo/west

They are not gonna use more players in po's. The 5 spot seems a bit weaker now, but you can't replace one good center with 4 halfa$$, so I don't see much happening there.

But maybe I'm missing something

[BlackWhiteGreen]

Bill Simmons' great piece on this story can be found here. It's this part that I entirely agree with:

I remember drafting Perk out of high school. I remember his being fat and awkward. I remember liking his mean streak that surfaced at the strangest times. I remember those flashes of potential as Perk banged the boards with Al Jefferson. I remember thinking we could count on him after the Garnett trade and not really knowing why. I remember watching that same ugly jump hook over and over again, hoping beyond hope that it might get better. I remember winning a title with him, and I remember losing a title without him. I remember seeing him warm up before opening night, a good two hours before the game, almost as though he didn't want the team to forget that he was coming back. Like every other Celtics fan, I watched him go from nothing to something. I certainly never imagined watching Perk play for another team.

My father was more crushed than me. He's been a season-ticket holder since 1973 and still attends 25 Celtics games per season. As he explained Thursday night, "I was invested in Perkins. I sit 15 feet from their bench -- I watched him grow up. I don't think sports is always about winning and losing. We might be better, but right now, I don't care. I liked the team we had. It doesn't feel right that he's not on this team."

See, you can't truly love a team until you've suffered with it. The 2008 title team always felt like a fantasy team that had been thrown together in some sort of euphoric basketball dream that wasn't quite real. Losing Garnett in 2009 (and eventually, the Orlando series) definitely hurt; blowing the 2010 title was 100 times worse. The agony of those last two games pushed our relationship with the team to an entirely different level. I still remember seeing Perkins rolling around in pain during Game 6 -- it happened about 20 feet away from me -- then the veterans watching him get helped off, his right leg dangling in the air, the life sinking from their bodies like Apollo watching Rocky wave him back to the corner. With a healthy 2011 Garnett in that Game 7, maybe we could have survived. Banged-up 2010 Garnett couldn't get it done. The trophy was sitting there, and we couldn't take it. A crestfallen Perkins spent the summer blaming himself, busted his butt to come back … and the Celtics dumped him a month after he returned. Claiming they couldn't afford him only made it worse: The kid signed a discount extension four years ago and outperformed it. They owed him.

It also hits home the exact reason why Celtic fans like Simmons cannot possibly be objective on a trade like this. We loved Perk. He personified our team's toughness. He was a part of the core. Screw the "Big 4". We had a team.

But this trade filled a hug whole we needed to fill, and for that reason... It was a good trade. It's just one that hurts. A lot. Sentimentality, in some cases, is the right thing... But not in this case. Not when we have, realistically, a 2 year window. Maximum. Perk would be overpaid, that happens with any serviceable centre in the league. To make a run at a big Free Agent (the path Danny clearly wants to go down) he couldn't be paying Perk and Rondo $25m together a year. It breaks my heart writing this, but we had to let him go.

That said, if Baby stops developing after he gets paid this offseason, I'm gonna be mad.

[dutchguy]

That's why it messes with the chemistry.
Last year a lot of people, including longtime die-hard fans, where b!tching that they should break this 'old' team up. I always thought they had a chance, but also, after winning a title you don't give these guys the boot.
Maybe it would be better to trade PP for a younger guy, but you just don't do that. That's what makes the celtics a special organization, they have a soul. When you're not being sentimental, in a way you have no soul.
That said, this trade is borderline for me. Not mad at Ainge, just afraid of the backlash.

That said, if Baby stops developing after he gets paid this offseason, I'm gonna be mad.

I think Baby's about done developing

[kputs]

BREAKING NEWS:

I was sitting at the blackjack table @ Mohegan Sun and this fat ass sat next to me and said he knew Danny Ainge. I told him gtfoh but he put him on speaker. Turns out Toine was doing so good in the d league..... who needs Perk????

[ballup]

That's why it messes with the chemistry.
Last year a lot of people, including longtime die-hard fans, where b!tching that they should break this 'old' team up. I always thought they had a chance, but also, after winning a title you don't give these guys the boot.
Maybe it would be better to trade PP for a younger guy, but you just don't do that. That's what makes the celtics a special organization, they have a soul. When you're not being sentimental, in a way you have no soul.
That said, this trade is borderline for me. Not mad at Ainge, just afraid of the backlash.



I think Baby's about done developing

I wouldn't count out Baby in his development, he's got a post game in progress and he would be deadly off he bench with a refined one.

[AMISTILLILL]

With a day to reflect on this trade, I've altogether warmed up to the idea of losing Perkins. Discussing the Robinson trade isn't even really necessary, since Nate couldn't handle a backup PG role (held his own in Rondo's absence earlier in the season but he's not a long-term option for anybody at that position) and his lack of minutes started to toy with his productivity. It's hard to get a guy like that to throw together consistent offensive punches when his playing time is limited off the bench. When West comes back his impact will be much more noticeable than Nate... though Celtics fans should be concerned about whether or not enough time's left in the regular season for him to become acclimated before a playoff run begins.

As an earlier poster mentioned I do think Celtics faithfuls have something of an emotional attachment to Perkins as a cog in the machine of the Celtics starting five. It's like seeing Shaq in the starting lineup earlier this year and the inherent shock and weirdness of that times about a thousand... because now you know Perkins isn't eventually suiting up in the green and white again.

Perkins was a solid defensive presence but by no means was he ever a lock down individual defender. In combination with KG, that was a fearsome defensive duo, but I think Perkins alone might have a hard time proving his mettle in OKC without the psychological advantage of people acknowledging his team as a defensive monster. Him being a liability on the offensive end is going to irritate slews of Thunder fans as well.

Overall, the trade does make sense. Perkins was on his way out this summer anyway, as much as I and other Celtics fans hoped wouldn't be the case. The Celtics still have size but are continually plagued by a perfect storm of injuries to their front court reserves. As always: health is the key to this teams success.

Like I mentioned yesterday I wished Boston would have snagged Leon Powe from Cleveland but now, with him being waived, it looks like that might become a reality. The guy was a HUGE asset off the bench in the '08 playoff run and I was sad to originally see him go. Though he's still undersized he can be effective.

That leaves two rosters spots...

[kputs]

Bottom line is Ainge is a moron. If he would've got Tony Allen signed in the offseason they'd have TA and Perk.

[AMISTILLILL]

Celtics never had any rebounding advantage. 29th in the league over the last two years.

This sort of stat comes up time and time again. Doc emphasizes getting back to avoid the fast break as opposed to sticking around for the rebound. Their rebounding numbers aren't exactly a true representation of effort and ability.

[ronniec]

Long Post Ahead...

-Ainge wanted Jeff Green and drafted him in 2007. Doc wanted him as well..Tried to give every other asset to get him and trade for Ray Allen. Now we have ray allen and Jeff Green who is athletic, decent defender, and a guy who can easily be a 21-7-4 type player.

-Ray Allen has West and Wafer who are capable of scoring,and defending. Where is Pierces..Jeff Green will spell Pierce and the 4 a lot more. Nothing is wrong with pierce and having green will keep him fresh.

-Nate hit big shots.....Delonte west has hit big shots, and also made defensive plays. 6'4 PG who can swing and is very good defensively beats out what nate can do. Nate doesnt have his freakish athletiscm anymore and Danny decided to sell high.

-Perkins has become very overrated on these boards. the MVP of that defense is Kevin Garnett. People said our defense would suck when "guru" THibodeau left us for Chicago. This defense is elite because of KG's ability to cut off penetrators. Perkins was the last line of defense but KG is the one who stops Bron/Kobe/Wade to having an easy way. Perkins is counted on dropping 3-4 assists to layup passes a game. He's also slightly overrated defensively since Dwight has a better post game. He will be asking for 10 mill a year. He's got a ring. perkins wants to get paid.

-I love Erden,but essentially we swapped 2 similar players.

-Ainge is risky but he is not a dumb GM. I expect if we get Troy Murphy this will look better whos just as big as Perk and a better rebounder. Perkins was not a 11-12 rebound guy, hes a 8-9 guy who rarely offers blocks. Celtic Vets are more upset because he grew up around them and he and Rondo were great friends. Murphy/Kristic will catch those balls Perkins dropped and convert.

-this doesnt affect our matchups with Miami...or Orlando. Perkins was getting handled by Bynum as well.

Kind of agree what you said... and hope it will work for them.

Wonder, why don't they trade Perkins for Battier? Houston needs a center also. Battier is a much proven defensive specialist with 3 point shooting.