The Perkins Trade: One of the Worst in NBA History

[dalakhani]

The fact that the celtics were in serious contention for home court advantage and the trade hindered their ability to win a title is precisely why it's one of the worst trades in history.

Can you recall another deadline move where a conference leader trades one of it's starters, loses two seeds and goes 16-12 the rest of the way?

[ateamstupid]

When I think of a terrible trade, I think of something like the Herschel Walker/Steve Young/Dominique Wilkins deals. This was an ill-timed trade, but I'm pretty sure if Shaq stayed healthy and Rondo doesn't lose his arm, it doesn't look nearly as bad as it does now.

It's an easy scapegoat for a team that suffered through a bunch of injuries and frankly, gave away two games in the series against Miami (with the help of some typically Sternian officiating in Game 5).

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by ateamstupid

When I think of a terrible trade, I think of something like the Herschel Walker/Steve Young/Dominique Wilkins deals. This was an ill-timed trade, but I'm pretty sure if Shaq stayed healthy and Rondo doesn't lose his arm, it doesn't look nearly as bad as it does now.

It's an easy scapegoat for a team that suffered through a bunch of injuries and frankly, gave away two games in the series against Miami (with the help of some typically Sternian officiating in Game 5).

As I said in the first post, materially, the trade was actually pretty decent. They weren't going to pay Perkins anyway and getting a potential lottery pick as well as Green and Krstic for him was a good haul.

The timing in this deal is everything. Who makes that trade when a title is in the balance?

[declansharbor]

Originally Posted by dalakhani

As I said in the first post, materially, the trade was actually pretty decent. They weren't going to pay Perkins anyway and getting a potential lottery pick as well as Green and Krstic for him was a good haul.

The timing in this deal is everything. Who makes that trade when a title is in the balance?

The Sixers traded an injured Theo Ratliff while atop the Eastern Conference in 2001. Deke came in and helped us get to the Finals !!

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by declansharbor

The Sixers traded an injured Theo Ratliff while atop the Eastern Conference in 2001. Deke came in and helped us get to the Finals !!

Good pull but that's a different trade altogether. Mutombo and Ratliff played the same position and Deke was the best interior defender in the league at the time. Ratliff was expected to miss another 20 games at the time the trade was made and possibly more.

Trading a healthy Ratliff for Deke would have been an upgrade. Trading a seriously injured Ratliff for Deke was a no brainer. I realize that Perkins was injured when Boston traded him but it was minor. Ratliff had a pretty serious wrist injury.

[Cannon Shell]

I dont see Perkins in his current state making a difference for Boston. He wasn't going to make much of a difference against Miami. His biggest value was against Orlando and LA both who are also gone.

The idea that Perkins in the middle would have made a difference was pretty much shredded by what Memphis did. I mean would he have shutdown Joel Anthony anymore than Anthony is shutdown by his own self check? Boston's chemistry would have been much better if Paul Pierce didnt look like he aged 20 years the last 6 months, Rondo's left arm was still attached, Garnett didn't bounce after every good game and Big Baby didnt completely tank the series.

Watch Perkins tonight, he isn't moving very well even for him.

I didn't understand the trade for Boston at the time and still don't think it is going to look good in hindsight but I don't think Perkins at 80% (being kind) would have made any difference in this series.

[dalakhani]

Originally Posted by Cannon Shell

I dont see Perkins in his current state making a difference for Boston. He wasn't going to make much of a difference against Miami. His biggest value was against Orlando and LA both who are also gone.

The idea that Perkins in the middle would have made a difference was pretty much shredded by what Memphis did. I mean would he have shutdown Joel Anthony anymore than Anthony is shutdown by his own self check? Boston's chemistry would have been much better if Paul Pierce didnt look like he aged 20 years the last 6 months, Rondo's left arm was still attached, Garnett didn't bounce after every good game and Big Baby didnt completely tank the series.

Watch Perkins tonight, he isn't moving very well even for him.

I didn't understand the trade for Boston at the time and still don't think it is going to look good in hindsight but I don't think Perkins at 80% (being kind) would have made any difference in this series.

Memphis is a completely different team on both ends of the floor than Miami and Boston is a completely different team defensively than OKC. How you can say that what Memphis did against OKC is proof of anything that Boston would have done against Miami just doesn't make sense.

Boston's problem against Miami, aside from the obvious injury to Rondo, was that Wade and Lebron could sail through the lane unmolested and without fear. Was Krsti or 95 year old twins jermaine O and KG going to lay a body on those guys? I don't care if Perkins was 80%, on the defensive end, that is a vast improvement over what Boston had individually not to mention what it did for the team as a collective unit. Rondo was more free to take chances on the perimeter and Allen could actually put a hand up in Wade's face instead of having to give him two feet or worse, boston having to double.

I think its fair to say that its questionable that Boston would have beaten Chicago with or without Perkins. But at the same time, Boston probably would have had homecourt advantage over Miami and things might have played out a little differently. I think Boston's record AFTER the trade not to mention Rivers comments (AFTER he got the money!) give a little credence to my argument.

You might have a point that Perkins would not have made a difference but everything I saw especially the blowout in Miami at the end of the regular season tell me differently. I think if you are in contention to win a title, which anyone would agree that they were, you don't trade your starting center away (one of the top five defensive centers in the league) for a tweener, a draft pick and a soft euro.