Seeing the Reasoning

So a little more than a week ago, I mentioned my confusion over the Kendrick Perkins trade. I don't need to repeat everything I said there since (you can always scroll down and take a look).

The bottom line is that I was having a hard time understanding why Ainge would go out and trade the starting center on a first-place team in the East. A team that lacks any true, healthy big men. A team that has a real chance at winning a championship this year.

I didn't think Perk was irreplaceable, I just thought he was an important piece of the puzzle.

I have now had a week and change to see through all the Ins and Outs of this trade. To see who Danny would pick up off the scrap heap. To learn more about Green and Kristic.

And I gotta say, I'm liking the deal more and more.

I've watched all the games since the trade, and while Green started off shaky (I think that is to be expected), he has really showed his talent the last few games; and Kristic -- the guy I called a stiff -- has been a pleasant surprise. Factor in that the Cs also went out and picked up Carlos Arroyo, Troy Murphy and Sasha Pavlovic, while losing Perk, Neo-Nate, Semih, and Harangody, I'm starting to forget what I was complaining about.

Most importantly, and something that I think I was slightly overlooking a week or so ago was that the Celtics got the best player in the deal. And history shows that the team that gets the best player -- usually comes out the victor of the deal down the road.

These thoughts have also been influenced by some big names in basketball, as well as some big time columnists -- who have since weighed in supporting the Danny's moves...Let's take a look:

Shaughnessy hated this deal at first -- but says Ainge has balls.

The Globe's Gasper -- a big Perk fan -- looks into the "myth" that the Cs would have won Game 7 if Perk had been in the lineup to gobble up rebounds.

Chad Finn does a nice job breaking down Ainge's most recent moves, as well as most of his other ones, and calls it a resounding win.

Gerry Callahan says Ainge may be heartless...but he is not gutless.

And that is just a sampling of the pro-trade articles we've been exposed to...reading them, you can assume the Celts are in line to hoist 18 to the rafters...

But, as is always the case, only time will tell.