Thunder Acquires Perkins, Robinson from Celtics

The reported deal will bring Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson to Oklahoma City.

Thursday, May 26th 2011, 12:13 pm

By: News On 6

Thunder Acquires Perkins, Robinson from Celtics

Originally Published: Feb 24, 2011 2:17 PM CDT

Corey DeMoss
Oklahoma Sports Staff Writer

OKLAHOMA CITY – Several reports surfaced Thursday mere minutes before the NBA trade deadline saying the Oklahoma City Thunder has agreed to a trade with the Boston Celtics.

The Thunder will give up Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic in return for Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson. Perkins is the biggest piece of the deal, filling a void the Thunder always has had.

Perkins is 6-foot-10 and 280 pounds, giving the Thunder a true inside presence that it sorely needs. Perkins only has played 12 games so far this season and is averaging 7.3 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, but he was a major piece during the Celtics' 2008 run to the NBA Championship.

Green has long been mentioned as a potential piece in a trade because it was assumed OKC would not be able to afford an upgrade to his contract. Green and Krstic both were in the final year of their respective contracts. Green is averaging 15.2 points and 5.6 rebounds per game so far this season.

The trade will return Green to the team that originally drafted him before trading his rights to the Seattle SuperSonics before they moved to Oklahoma City and became the Thunder.

UPDATE: Further reports have said the Thunder will also sacrifice a 2012 first-round draft pick in the Perkins deal. The pick is the one the Thunder acquired from the Los Angeles Clippers in a previous trade.

The Thunder also has worked a second separate trade that will send reserves D.J. White and Mo Peterson to the Charlotte Bobcats in exchange for Nazr Mohammed. Mohammed - who is a 6-foot-10, 250-pound center - likely will fill the role that Krstic vacated. Mohammed currently is averaging 7.3 points and 4.9 rebounds in 16.7 minutes per game.