The Boston Celtics and Oklahoma City Thunder have pulled off a stunning trade just minutes before the NBA Trade Deadline. The Celtics have agreed to send center Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson to the Thunder for a package involving forward Jeff Green and center Nenad Krstic, according to Yahoo! Sports' Adrian Wojnarowski and NBA writer Sam Amick. Both Green and Perkins are impending free agents. Green is a restricted free agent, while Perkins is unrestricted.
The move gives the Thunder legitimate size as they push the Western Conference's elite. Perkins has recovered from a devastating knee injury suffered in the NBA Finals, and is an elite defensive center. The Celtics had not been able to agree on a long-term contract extension with him, so they decided to move him instead.
The Celtics, meanwhile, acquire a wing player that they have been coveting for a while, plus a Perkins replacement in Krstic. Green will help provide depth behind Paul Pierce and Ray Allen and provide another forward that can play in small lineups.