I don't understand that deal at all for Boston unless they think Shaq is going to healthy and log heavy minutes. As for OKC, they just got a little bit scarier. Green was a nice scorer and defender but what they needed was someone to do the dirty work inside. Now they get that in Perkins.
I don't know what the Celtics are thinking. This definitely reduces their chances of winning a championship this year. They will be very disappointed at Jeff Green, who does not perform well when expectations are on him. As the Thunder improved over the last 3 seasons, he was most certainly NOT one of the reasons. His lack of development made him expendable. He goes back to the team that drafted him. Ibaka will get big minutes now that Scott Brooks doesn't have to worry about hurting Jeff Green's feelings. Replacing Krstic and Green with Perkins and Nazr will make them a better defensive team, especially against post scorers. They will also be nastier. OKC now has a chance to make the WC Finals. I doubt it that happens, but it's possible now. Still rate them a clear 4th behind the Mavs, Spurs and Lakers.
I disagree with this part alot. I think this is the exact reason that Celtics went and got Green. Boston really lacks versatility, most of their players only really excel at one position, IE: they're not gonna go small and play Pierce at the 4 much or be able to go big and play any of their 4s on the perimter, ect. Their size has been a huge weapon against most teams, but I don't think (and Im assuming Danny Ainge feels this way) that they can keep their traditional lineup (KG and Shaq or Perkins at the 2 big spots) when teams like the Knicks and Heat go small and put Melo and Amare or LeBron and Bosh as their bigs. I think KG is past the point where he can chase those two around on the perimeter and he's no longer dominant enough to make them pay for it on the other end with scoring and offensive rebounding. Now they've got Jeff Green who is suited perfectly for that type of role. More of a true 3 than a 4, but he's been playing more of the 4 with the Thunder and he's shown he can at the very least hold his own with most power forwards. But Ive always thought his strongest attribute was his perimeter defense. Definitely strong enough so that you can't go through him and he's got great footwork that can keep him in front of most 3s. And he's 6'9" and pretty long, so that helps a bunch as far as contesting shots. So having increased versatility will help them match up with teams more easilly in the playoffs and while they did get slightly smaller, they still seem to have plenty of capable big bodies. Assuming the 2 O'Neals are healthy in the playoffs (granted this is a risky assumption) they'll have 3 guys who can step in at center (4 if you count Kristic) and 3 guys who can give them big minutes at the 4 (Im counting KG as able to play both). They're still one of the biggest teams in the NBA and now have the ability to go smaller if they want/need to. All that being said, it was a great trade for OKC too. They needed a true center and Ibaka is better suited at the 4, they're definitely a better team after this one. But Boston is too. I see this as one of the rare, helpful to both teams trades as both came out of it having filled a weakness without creating a new one.
You overrate Jeff Green. He's flatlined while the Thunder improved. He can't defend decent offensive players worth a dime and gets lit up consistently. As someone who watches the Thunder regularly, I can't understand why so many people (outside of those who follow OKC) think he's a good defender. Give that up please. He hasn't "held his own" against a decent PF in a long time. He gets destroyed on a regular basis. If you honestly believe Green will be anything more than tissue paper against LeBron and Melo, oh well. That's all he's been in the past. He also doesn't rebound very well, especially the last couple of weeks. Weird. His 3-point shot and mid-range jumper aren't very good either. For a guy that plays off two prime scorers on offense, Green is incredibly inefficient. I guess he's overrated because his general reputation is riding the coattails of the Thunder's dramatic improvement in 2 years. But unlike several players around him, Green hasn't raised his game at all. Just because he's played a lot of minutes at different positions on OKC doesn't mean he's versatile (at least in a good way). The only thing Green does well is finish around the rim when he drives the ball. He's a decent passer and seems to have a decent b-ball IQ, though nothing special. I believe the Celts will regret this. They got worse for this season and will find out Green isn't a great piece going forward.
OKC easily wins this deal for the remaining 25 games. I guess Boston figured screw it, but if they held out I'm sure they could have gotten a late pick from OKC. Garnett Green Pierce Allen Rondo Shaq Davis Green Wafer West The youth factor is null when we are talking about free agents (both restricted).
Crazy trade, makes OKC very dangerous. On the Boston side it looks kind of strange to break up that championship core. Some ESPN I think were saying that maybe Boston thinks it can sign Murphy after the buyout. Perhaps Green's versatility is really what they wanted, or to get something for Perkins while they still could, I don't know, it looks like they definitely got the short end of this deal on the surface though.
At 1st, I didn't understand why Boston did this. I guess Perkins' questionable knees are the answer. While Krstic isn't close to being a Perkins, he's very a good serviceable healthy replacement for Perkins. Krstic will be available for the playoffs, where Perkins was a ?. They have their bigs for the playoffs. Green was average to good as a starter. As a backup to Pierce, he should flurish against the opponent's bench. Plus as Geaux Rockets mentioned, his versitility to play the 3 or 4 will really help the C's.
No. KG can't play full-time C and it's a proven fact Green can't play full-time PF well. Krstic KG PP Allen Rondo Shaq Davis Green West Wafer Maybe Shaq will start over Krstic, though I think it would be better the other way.
Kristic better not see minutes in the playoffs. The Celtics had something good. Why did they mess with it? Anyways, KG can play center against Joel Anthony. I get the feeling they did this trade because they feel threatened of Miami come playoff time (as they should be). Green can easily cover Bosh. Dwight Howard better score 30+ against Davis and Shaq. This trade is win for Boston IF: they manage to get past Orlando AND beat the Heat.
Joel Anthony? OK fine, but KG has no business playing full-time C in the NBA. He can't take the pounding and anchor the middle. Forget it. He's not sturdy enough, especially being 34 years-old and injury-prone. Of course you can argue this worked for the Celts IF they make the Finals. This trade makes it harder for them IMO. If they do and meet the Lakers, they will get pounded inside.
this is a terrible trade for boston, and great for OKC. for OKC: 1) although perkins isn't a low post scorer that OKC needs, he's still an experienced big body that has playoff experience. he's a great low post defender (which will help vs the lakers, spurs... in the west), rebounder. i wouldn't put them in contender mode b/c perkins isn't a low post scorer, but their defense will improve. their D slipped this year, so perkins will help it. for boston: 1) what are they doing? they think shaq and jermaine will be able to log more than 20 minutes combied in the playoffs? or do they think KG can log 36-38 mins? this is HUGE for the heat esp. HUGE.
Wow! Another great deal for the Thunder. Man, OKC fans have the life-their GM is like DM except with lottery picks. I don't know what the supposed "package" includes, maybe their pick this year (forgot his name), first round picks and Green for Perkins? Either way its a great deal for the Thunder, Perkins will give them yet another rebounder and defender to pair with Ibaka. I don't think they really need a first rate low post scorer with both Durant and Westbrook already running the show, Perks combined with Ibaka would be really good at shoring up their D in the long run. The only gripe I have with this is why couldn't we get Perkins? LOL I'm pretty sure T-Will+a package is much better than Green+whatever it is OKC offered.
I think its both a money issue and a rebuilding plan. Boston is like the oldest team in the league right now, and with Perks approaching free agency they probably couldn't afford paying him the 10+M he's gonna make in the free market. I think Green+sweeteners is a good return for a guy who's gonna walk away at the end of the season.
Take the homer glasses off. T-Will isn't worth a bag of chewing gum. T-Will + "package" is much less Green + Krstic. To your other comment, I can see the logic, but shouldn't the Celts be in "win now" mode? To me, they are the personification of the concept. A banner in June should be everything to them because a decline is coming.
Agree 100%. Boston can't afford to pay Perkins. He was gone after this summer (he was the center I wanted the Rockets to target other than possibly Nene). They were diminishing their chances for this year but got some assets out of it. But I can imagine the Celtic vets are PISSED.
interesting story? Did the Celtics make the trade to match up better with the Spurs if they meet up in the finals? Celtics take risk by dealing Perkins By John Hollinger http://insider.espn.go.com/nba/insid...Thunder-110224 Take note, Lakers and Magic fans: The Celtics are effectively betting against you. They'll never say so in so many words, but actions speak much louder. And today's actions said that when playoff time rolls around, Boston thinks it will need perimeter depth, floor spacing and the ability to play smaller a lot more than it'll need quality low-post defenders. Translation: Miami is the threat here, not Orlando. And if the Celtics survive, it's San Antonio, not the Lakers, whom they now match up better against. Gone is low-post defensive ace Kendrick Perkins, but coming aboard are versatile wingman Jeff Green and, one suspects, floor-spacing power forward Troy Murphy. The Celtics had better hope they're right about how the postseason plays out, because they are certainly taking a risk here. For one, they've basically put most of their eggs in a basket labeled "Shaquille O'Neal and Delonte West staying healthy." By trading Perkins, Nate Robinson, Semih Erden and Luke Harangody in two separate trades today (as well as the injured Marquis Daniels in a third trade), Boston simultaneously opened up holes in its depth chart at both center and point guard. Perkins, the gritty 5-man who was so key to stifling Orlando's Dwight Howard in the Celtics' upset of Orlando in last spring's conference finals (and yes, that was an upset -- the Magic were smokin' and had home court), went to Oklahoma City along with Robinson, in a deal for Green, Nenad Krstic and a top-10 protected first-round pick that originally belonged to the Clippers. In a second trade, the Celtics sent Erden and Harangody to Cleveland for a second-round pick. As a result of these moves, Boston is certainly well-positioned for the future -- the Celtics have draft picks and will be in position to make a hard run at Howard in free agency in 2012. They have jettisoned Perkins and have one year left on the deals of Shaquille and Jermaine O'Neal. From that angle, this trade is basically a neon sign that says, "Yo, Dwight -- over here!" But what about the present? This is a team built to win right now, and one can argue today's moves push the Celtics further away from that goal. Not only does moving Perkins create problems for Boston in potential postseason matchups against the Magic -- the Celtics' second-round foe based on today's standings -- and the Lakers, but under the radar, including Robinson leaves the Celtics without a reliable backup point guard behind Rajon Rondo. When Rondo rests, Delonte West or Ray Allen will now have to be the main ball handler unless the Celtics think rookie Avery Bradley is up to the task or a decent player (T.J. Ford, perhaps) becomes available via buyout. Thus, the reliance on the unreliables. West can handle the point if he stays healthy, but he has played only six games this season and has missed big chunks of the past two seasons. Meanwhile, Shaq defends Howard nearly as capably as Perkins does, but generally speaking, he isn't available as often -- although to be fair, Perkins has missed 43 games this season and is back on the shelf after a knee sprain. This season, Shaq has played only 36 games after just 53 the season before, plus he is about to turn 39 years old and can't go nearly as long due to fouls and fatigue -- he's averaging only 20 minutes a game. It seems Boston is counting on undersized Glen Davis to make up the difference. As for the other potential reserves, Krstic is a shrinking violet when it comes to physical play so he won't offer much help, and the same goes for Murphy -- for whom Boston will roll out a red carpet as soon he completes a buyout agreement with Golden State. Jermaine O'Neal could also be in the mix, but he's been out most of the season with knee problems. Thus, the Celtics are left with more quantity than quality up front. If they're going up against Zydrunas Ilgauskas and Joakim Noah in the playoffs, no problem. Against go-to guys like Howard and Pau Gasol? Different story. As for Green, he'll help as a "3.5," splitting time between the two forward positions and matching up against bigger 3s like Miami's LeBron James and Chicago's Luol Deng. He was abused defensively as a starting power forward in Oklahoma City, but in this role he can perform a lot better. Presumably Von Wafer or West will be the backup 2, but we may see the Celtics shorten their rotation and go big at times in the playoffs with Pierce and Green on the wings playing alongside a point guard and two bigs. Green and Murphy, if he comes, could also give Boston the option of playing smaller (with Kevin Garnett or Davis at 5) and spacing the floor more, something the Celtics haven't done much of since James Posey left after their 2008 championship run. One other point, since everyone is attacking the Celtics over this trade: Perkins has played only 12 games this season and Boston still has the best record in the East; the Celtics also nearly won Game 7 of the Finals in Los Angeles last year without him. Generally speaking, they'll get by. Additionally, the Celtics needed somebody on the wings to replace the injured Daniels (who was dealt to Sacramento today), meaning that somebody with value had to depart -- Perkins was the most logical candidate. Nonetheless, one suspects if the Celtics still saw the Lakers and Magic as their two prime playoff threats, they wouldn't have made this deal. The fact the Heat and Spurs have played so well, one suspects, has altered their thinking.
