What...?!?! That was my immediate reaction when sitting here watching the ESPN trade deadline special. Breaking news indicates that Boston has traded their young, defensive-minded center who played an integral role in the deep, post season runs these past three seasons. Initial reports are saying that back-up point guard Nate Robinson will also be heading to Oklahoma City.
In return, the Celtics will receive center, Nenad Krstic, and small forward, Jeff Green. As a Boston fan, this trade really has a deflating feeling about it. It changes the whole dynamic of this battle-tested, tough team. Their defensive focus will no longer involve their anchor in the paint. Kendric Perkins represented so much for this team that could not be accounted for in the box score.
All year the talk has been surrounded by the return of a healthy Perkins and how his presence will propel the Celtics to another championship run. The returning player, Krstic, resembles nothing close to the type of player that Perkins was. Although Perkins is the headliner in this transaction, Nate Robinson played a valuable role as a reserve point guard. His minutes allowed Rajon Rondo to rest while providing an offensive spark in the process.
Early speculation is that the Celtics front office may know something regarding the long-term health of Perkins' knees. Also, Perkins apparently rejected a contract offer recently proposed by Boston, which, in effect, would allow him to become a free agent this off season. With the departure of Robinson, the recovery and sustaining health of Delonte West will be pivotal, as his role has now received a dramatic increase.
The other player in the deal is a promising young talent. It's a bit of an ironic twist, as the Celtics originally drafted Jeff Green in the '07 draft and then traded him to acquire Ray Allen. His arrival probably confirms the end to Marquis Daniels season, which is another blow to this roster that was once considered one of the deepest in the league. Green's role will be a swing man off the bench, who can play the wing with some offensive skill, and can also give Paul Pierce more rest as the Celtics prepare for the post season.
Honestly, this move does not seem to make a lot of sense to me. Unless there are some things behind the scenes that regular fans are not privy to, it's hard to determine why Ainge would want to shift the identity of this team so drastically, so late into a season with such high hopes.
The one advantage the Celtics had over the rest of their Eastern Conference opponents was the size and depth of their front line. This move appears to deplete that part of the team substantially. Given the health issues of Shaq and Jermaine O'neal, it's hard to imagine them maintaining any advantage over any of the other top teams in the conference.
Well, I guess the result of this trade remains to be seen, whether positive or negative, and only time will tell. As for right now, though, this seems to be a dark day for Celtic fans. I hope I am wrong in my opinions and speculations, but I fear that Boston dealt away a great chance to win another championship this season.
However, if anyone deserves any benefit of the doubt, it would be Danny Ainge. His moves built a quality team that has competed for a title for the past three seasons. Let's hope that when we look back on this trade a few months from now that his ingenuity will triumph and be celebrated once again... Unfortunately, I'm not so sure that will be the outcome.
No comments:
Post a Comment