In no possible way is this a bad move for OKC.
They free up time for Harden. Get to play a bit more of Thabo. Offensively they likely remain just as potent; it's not like Green has been tearing it up this season anyway. Defensively, they can now physically match-up with almost any team.
In theory is the only place they do have rebounding problems. In reality, they're eighth in the league.I don't get how someone can think this is bad for OKC.
Also, Spurs definitely have rebounding problems. They shouldn't in theory, but they do. Minutes aren't even the largest factor.
Early season? Are you assuming that Perk re-signs with OKC? One of the huge drivers for this trade was that both Perk and Green had turned down team extension offers. One or both of them could turn out to be late season rentals. Neither team had anything to lose by pulling the trigger since it seemed that neither player was going to re-sign. That may not have changed. If there is a new CBA and the salaries plummet, do you really want to play for peanuts in OKC? Wouldn't you rather play for peanuts in LA or NY?
Jeff Green isn't a starter on a contender. Perkins is the best post defender in the league imo. It really is puzzling why the Celtics would trade him.
I think that the thunder got taken here, Perkins will pass his physical but he's around 80% of where he was through most of last year and he just became a non-scoring immobile center.
It's a good trade for them and they'll push the big three in the West. But they're still not capable of beating the Spurs or Lakers in a series. Their lack of outside shooting is even more pronounced now and they still don't have a post scorer, nor do they have anything resembling a third scorer for a team with championship aspirations.
Ok. That is like saying they don't have defensive problems even though they are like 7th in the league
When you look at Rebounding Rate, which is the percentage of missed shots that a team rebounds, the Spurs are 11th, behind CHI, LA, ORL, MIA. The only two contenders behind them are the Celts & Dallas.
Given, that factors in offensive rebounds and the Spurs don't really try and crash the boards on that end.
Same could be said about the never-ending- beat-the-horse-to- death Bonner/Splitter debate.
Spurs have the pieces and players to produce enough points without Bonner.
Therefore, why not play the personnel (Splitter) that gives the team the most potential (highest ceiling) on the defensive end.
Splitter has the size and length to alter shots in the paint both on and off the ball; he can also hold his own on the block against the Bynum/Gasol's of the league because of his ability to still contest their lengthy release-points effectively(again due to his length).
Bonner usually has good positioning in these situations, but can't have as much of an effect altering shots in the paint (on and off the ball) due to his physical liabilities.
Kind of a similar situation, as Presti and Brooks are obviously prioritizing length and interior defense over "spreading the floor" by swapping Green for Perkins. Sometimes I only wish Pop prioritized the same.
I agree, Perkins was exactly what they needed. Nazr is just insurance.
I don't understand the Perkins trade from the Celtics' perspective though - I guess they really wanted to make more time for Big Baby!? Relying on Snaq and Jermaine The Stain O'Neal is fools gold.
These moves do make overpaying Collison look a little stupid though.
Definitely a strange move from the Celts. Can't see how this doesn't hurt their chances this year.
4yrs/17.5M seems reasonable for Collison, especially since he'll only count for 11M against the cap over the next 4 seasons. I thought that little bit of contract/cap manipulation by Presti was very clever.
Which is also incorrect. A relative weak point for a team that's historically been incredibly good defensively and has championship aspirations is not "defensive problems".Ok. That is like saying they don't have defensive problems even though they are like 7th in the league
Apparently the Celtics vets are PISSED ...
Don't blame them!
that is some ridiculous logic - Matt Bonner ranks #64 in 3 pointers made in the NBA and he's doing that in only 22 minutes per game.
I think Pop would play Splitter more if he wasn't constantly HURT!
I think it is a very good move for the thunder.
Pros
Nate Robinson is a huge energy to a not so deep bench. He can provide a scoring threat not to mention they weren't too strong at point guard. Two weaknesses alleviated.
Kendrick Perkins is a tough gritty center that can provide the toughness to a defense that lacked it. They had Green, kRstic, and Ibaka; Insert Perkins. Enough said. They also upgraded their size to compete with the Lakers which is still the team to beat even with whatever the record says.
Experience.
Toughness.
Size.
Scoring.
Defense.
Cons
Chemistry. Duely noted.
Health. Same as every team.
Perimeter defense. Losing Green who was a solid combo four might make it a little more difficult to guard big 3's and small 4's.
Overall
Green and krstic? loss on the offensive end can be easily replaced as well as defensively. Kendrick might be an underrated low post threat as well. He put up very good numbers for a 5th option. Now he can get a shot on low post in some situations. When you gain an emotional leader like kendrick you can't really be too concerned with chemistry. Manu or Noah for example are glue guys that bring people together much like kendrick. Weighing in the pros and cons it is undeniable should they pass their physicals and return to health that this could make the Thunder a huge threat in the west. Combined with a solid super star, an all star, low post threat, defensive anchor, and bench scoring and depth the Thunder has potential to represent the West. Only experience is at their disadvantage as of now.
OKC's front court was in dire straits. They improved their interior with the trades, but while Perkins, Ibaka , and Mohammed are all solid defenders, all three are a liability on offense. Spurs still have the edge in the front court imo.
Yeah, he's showing to be really injury prone, exactly the same way Oberto was injury prone in 2006.
If he were constantly hurt, he'd constantly miss games. When a player gets 15 minutes for two games, then two minutes the next three games, then a DNP, then 20 minutes, he's not injured.
Great move for OKC, but I have some doubts that a) Kendrick Perkins will be 100% healthy this season and b) that he fits with this team of young athletic slashers who don't move the ball that well ...
Eh. Not too impressed. They may have improved a little but they are not gonna contend. Still the Lakers and Spurs with the Mavs perhaps a close second come playoff time.
I would say scoring was not a problem for them. It really makes a difference for a team to go from 3 primary scorers to 2. They got better on the inside but you can rest assure that Westbrook and Durrant will see plenty of double teams. Neither, seem like they would defer their game to an open big inside for double digit assists verses being a 20 ppg scorer.
while OKC got better and they'll be a tough out for anybody, the Mavs are a far superior threat to the Spurs so are the Lakers.
They Playoffs will be a battle that is for sure
^ This
Excellent upgrades for the Thunder. Vaults them from a team that hasn't yet won a playoff series to a potential conference championship contender.
As for the C's, I guess they figured they wouldn't be able to afford Perkins next year. The question is why did they choose to disturb their championship mix now, instead of waiting until the summer?
From other reports I've been seeing, Boston's offer to Perkins was around 22M/4years while he was seeking 30M/4.
If this is true, I'm scratching my head even more why they preferred to trade rather than cough up an additional 2M a year. Extending Perkins wouldn't have required the use of the MLE, right?
4/22 was the max extension that Boston could offer. I don't where the reports of 4/30 are coming from from, but I imagine that Perkins thinks that he is worth considerably more. He has to go to free agency to get more than 4/22.
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