Thunderous Intentions
Fansided

Complete guide to Sam Presti’s trades as General Manager

By Nick Delahanty

Sam Presti, Billy Donovan, OKC Thunder (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images)
Sam Presti, Billy Donovan, OKC Thunder (Photo by Layne Murdoch Jr./NBAE via Getty Images) /
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DENVER, CO – FEBRUARY 9: Kendrick Perkins #5 of the OKC Thunder battles for position against Kenneth Faried #35 and Wilson Chandler #21 of the Denver Nuggets on February 9, 2015 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. Copyright 2015 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – FEBRUARY 9: Kendrick Perkins #5 of the OKC Thunder battles for position against Kenneth Faried #35 and Wilson Chandler #21 of the Denver Nuggets on February 9, 2015 at the Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado. Copyright 2015 NBAE (Photo by Bart Young/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Presti swaps players with Danny Ainge

Trade Details

Boston Celtics Receive

Jeff Green

Nenad Kristic

2012 First Round Pick (LAC Own)

Thunder Receive

Kendrick Perkins

Nate Robinson

Oklahoma City had plans of making a deep playoff run during the 2010-2011 season. However, the team was in need of a quality big man.

The Boston Celtics had a pretty good center on their roster in Kendrick Perkins. He spent his first eight NBA seasons with the Celtics, and was a major contributor on their 2008 championship squad.

Perkins was set to become a free agent after the season. The Celtics attempted to sign Perkins to an extension, but were unable to reach an agreement. Part of the reason why was because the Celtics had concerns about Perkins’ health, which led them to shy away from meeting his contract demands.

Instead of losing him via free agency, the Celtics decided to trade Perkins to the Thunder. It ended up being a move that greatly benefited the Thunder franchise.

Perkins spent five seasons with the franchise, and mainly served as the team’s starting center. Although he didn’t provide much offensively, Perkins’ defensive skills and toughness were vital to the team’s overall success. Along with his on-the-court presence, Perkins was well-liked among his teammates and quickly became a fan favorite in OKC.

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