Kendrick Perkins extension in retrospect

Post #1 » by **slick_watts** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 12:23 am

Kendrick Perkins signed a 4 year, $34 million extension during the season last year. At the time a lot of fans thought it was premature (myself included) for a player who hadn't even played a game yet with his new team.

Chuck Hayes: 4 years, $20 million
David West (coming off season ending surgery): 2 years, $20 million
Tyson Chandler: 4 years, $53 million
DeAndre Jordan: 4 years, $43 million
Marc Gasol: 4 years, $55 million
Nene: 4 years, $A LOT million

Samuel Dalembert and Kris Humphries are two guys who are also pertinent to this conversation who haven't had offers made public yet.

Looking at these numbers, is there any question that (given a healthy return) Perkins was signed below what his market value would have been this offseason? How does he not get $9M-$10M a year after the team went to the WCF with him starting at center?

Additionally, had Presti not extended Perkins, who else is he acquiring from this group of big men to replace him? I admit I severely misjudged the market for Marc Gasol and Nene... I wouldn't want them on the Thunder for the $$$ they are getting, and Memphis looks like they will match anyway. Same with Tyson Chandler at his price tag. Even if we wanted Jordan at his price, the Clippers seem intent on matching. That leaves Sam Dalembert and Chuck Hayes, both downgrades. Point being that even if Presti had not offered the mid-season extension, he probably would have ended up re-signing Perkins anyway, at a higher price tag. Or trading for someone like Chris Kaman into cap space as a band aid.

I think Presti gambled a little bit with the extension, but it seems like he got the best possible outcome. Really impressed with how this situation shook out, considering all the uncertainty surrounding Perk's health, the CBA, etc.

Clangus · Post #2 » by **Clangus** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 1:03 am

Presti does his homework.

I thought the extention was always good value, and I think that without Perk we dont make the WCF> Despite his many haters he was a valuable piece.

Lets hope he can make another smart signing with Westbrook (Although I wont be worried if Russ gets a Max deal)

Balkman32 · Post #3 » by **Balkman32** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 2:35 am

I thought the Perkins trade was a very solid. The extension was a huge plus. From previous seasons we have seen contracts that have been redicklous. To get Perk @ 8 per was a wonderful outcome for the Thunder! Even if the cap had been lowered.

Now that we see the type of money that has been throw the deal the Thunder signed was predict fit.

He came in 32 lbs. under the weight he left last year. This is going to be a great year Thunder Fans!

Post #4 » by **wizkid27** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 4:33 am

To me, it all depends upon health. I think there's a good chance that he stays healthy and ends up being the great asset on one end of the court he's been for a good portion of the last few years. If that's the case, then his contract is a fairly solid deal. However, in the somewhat likely event that he never gets back there, it's possibly the worst value on the list.

I think people can get too excited about Perkins sometimes and forget that at his best he was and 8pt/8rb player. They're completely different players, but Collison has done well over that (statistically) and never meritted that $$. My problem (and I do like Perkins) is that at best you've got somebody great on one end and awful on another... Sometimes it's better to just have abover average on both sides...

Post #5 » by **slick_watts** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 6:00 am

wizkid27 wrote:To me, it all depends upon health. I think there's a good chance that he stays healthy and ends up being the great asset on one end of the court he's been for a good portion of the last few years. If that's the case, then his contract is a fairly solid deal. However, in the somewhat likely event that he never gets back there, it's possibly the worst value on the list.

Oh definitely. If his health doesn't hold up this is all a moot point.

wizkid27 wrote:I think people can get too excited about Perkins sometimes and forget that at his best he was and 8pt/8rb player. They're completely different players, but Collison has done well over that (statistically) and never meritted that $$. My problem (and I do like Perkins) is that at best you've got somebody great on one end and awful on another... Sometimes it's better to just have abover average on both sides...

Nick could never really guard the big centers like Perkins has proven to be able to do. He was never the same kind of shot altering presence either. There's something to be said for legit size in the paint, and Perkins is probably the best legitimate center the Thunder / Sonics franchise has had since.. hell Jack Sikma (says more about Sonics history than anything). And that's what these teams are paying a premium for. A healthy Perkins can defend the best bigs one on one for the most part, even though Nick has had similar seasons statistically from a pts/reb standpoint, he's never been that kind of presence defensively.

Krodis · Post #6 » by **Krodis** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 7:11 am

Collison may have never been that kind of "presence" defensively, but in general situations he's pretty much an elite defensive player.

Of course, Perkins is certainly better in man situations against the few true centers in the league. Collison, for all his defensive prowess, is overmatched physically if he has to guard someone like Dwight Howard. (That one game immediately post-trade is still giving me nightmares)

Certainly Perkins is signed below market value, and if injuries start seriously being a factor we can amnesty him, no harm, no foul.

fallacy · Post #7 » by **fallacy** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 8:06 am

With the clippers now the favorite to get chris paul, that clipper pick that we traded to Boston in the Perkins trade will be worthless.

I can't say that presti predicted this happening, but he sure does have amazing timing.

Devilanche · Post #8 » by **Devilanche** » Mon Dec 12, 2011 1:36 pm

fallacy wrote:With the clippers now the favorite to get chris paul, that clipper pick that we traded to Boston in the Perkins trade will be worthless.

I can't say that presti predicted this happening, but he sure does have amazing timing.

It's the clipper, you can't comfirm anything. The lean Perkins that we saw from the photo if he is fully healthy should be a bargain even if he just hit his career average from now on. After all that posturing over the CBA negotiation, players are still being overpaid, owners need to be saved from themselves.

edit; his new weight is around Dwight's weight, i always thought he looked way bulkier than Dwight. Wonder how he'll look side by side now.