And it's not fair for this, my first post in such a lengthy span, to be what this post is - which is therapy, in the form of the written word. But, alas, Kendrick Perkins was traded today.
In return for he and Nate Robinson, the green got former C's draft pick Jeff Green - who was immediately traded during the 2007 draft for Ray Allen - and Nenad Krstic.
I need to get this out there right off the bat; I unabashedly love Kendrick Perkins. He lays it all out every night, does whatever is asked of him, is a beast on D and on the boards, and in his seven seasons out of Clifton J. Ozen High School in Texas, has never committed a foul.
Kendrick, I will always remember you with a scowl.
With that said, after spending quite a bit of time trying to wrap my head around this trade, this is what I've come up with:
If you're a Celtics fan, your opinion on this trade depends almost entirely on how you felt about the C's chances of bringing another championship home this year.
I, for one, thought that they could. They have given us no reason to doubt them. They have beaten the Heat three times. They have performed very well against all of the top teams in both conferences. Why would that level of success not continue?
Yes, certain teams in the East got better recently (the Knicks and the Nets, but only one of those teams matters come playoff time). Yes, the Celts need to stay healthy to win it this year, and they are (or were) currently banged up. I still think they had a better than decent shot.
Without Perk, I don't think that shot is as good. Who replaces his boards and D come playoff time? Who D's up Dwight and Boozer? (And even Amare if he's on the post?) And the big advantage the Celts had over the Heat (the size and strength of their frontcourt), takes a hit.
The Celts now have to rely on Shaq as their starting center going into the playoffs. How did that work out for Cleveland last year?
And Troy Murphy - who the Celts are rumored to be getting once his contract is bought out by Golden State - is not Perk. Neither is Rasheed Wallace. Neither is Krstic. And I don't believe Jermaine O'Neal will be healthy enough at any point this season to truly make any significant contributions, and even if he is, does no one remember the stink bomb he turned in during that Heat series last year?
Now, I have long been accused of overrating Perk (my buddy Steve will tell you this as soon as Perkins' name is brought up). I hope that's true. And it might be.
The more I think about it (and my opinion is still morphing even as I write this), I mean, it's not inconceivable that the Celtics still make it through the East without Perk. And yes, Green will help the second unit and help spell Paul Peirce and Ray Allen. But it's definitely going to be tougher without Perk, and I'm just not sure how I feel about possibly sacrificing one of the Big Three's last championship runs for future competitiveness.
Which brings me to the future.
For the future, this trade, coupled with the draft picks gained from dealing Semih Erden and Luke Harangody to Cleveland, is a good move. I don't think there's any debating that.
Our biggest fear as Celtics fans prior to today, whether we said it or not (and a friend of mine vocalized something to this affect a few weeks ago), was that when the Big Three retired we were going to be stuck right back where we started before we got Ray and KG. A 35-win team with a pu-pu platter of young guys and no real veteran leadership.
This trade gives the C's a solid wing player who has proven he can score (Green), a few draft picks to start to build while the Big Three are phasing out, and some eventual cap space to make a big free-agent signing or two in the coming years (Dwight in 2012?).
The Celts likely weren't re-signing Perk anyway if everything we hear in the media is to be believed.
In summation, and as always, it takes a while to come around on Danny Ainge's moves, because he's normally two steps ahead of everyone else.
He is also unemotional and ruthless. He's going to take risks and do what he thinks is best for the team in the long run, which is what makes him a good GM.
It certainly does not make him a fan favorite. And in my opinion, it might have cost us a championship this year, but that remains to be seen. Either way there's no denying that this trade gives the C's the opportunity, not the certainty, to stay competitive long term. A few good draft picks and signings in the coming year and half and they could be a perennial playoff team for years after the Big Three depart.
The question is, if the C's don't win a championship this year, and they don't win one in the Rondo/Green/whoever-else-it-
And I honestly don't have an answer for that.
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