Doc Rivers Continues to Discuss “old Stuff” During His Latest Visit to Boston Saying That Kendrick Perkins Trade was a Mistake

The Boston Celtics will spend a lot of time reflecting and answering questions about the team's recent success over the past six season. As they rebuild and find a new identity, fans and media will Doc Rivers have already commented on the missed opportunities of the 2008-2013 era, particularly the 2010 Game 7 loss to the Lakers.
constantly compare this team with the teams of the last six years. Danny Ainge, Kevin Garnett, and

This week, Doc Rivers spent some time in Boston, did an interview on WEEI's Dennis and Callahan morning show, and also did an appearance at his old home, the TDGarden raising money for the Action for Boston Community Development. Thanks to Green Street for highlighting this.

In the spirit of picking at old scabs, Rivers was asked about the Kendrick Perkins trade and how it might have affected the 2011 team that ultimately lost to the Miami Heat in the playoffs. Perkins was part of a starting unit that boasted an undefeated record in playoff series. He was traded away for Jeff Green and Nenad Kristic in a stunning trade following his return from ACL surgery.

The trade changed the dynamic of the team, and one could argue that Rajon Rondo and Kevin Garnett both sulked their way through the rest of the season. The quiet Jeff Green was not immediately accepted into the group, it was very clear during the second half of the season that Green was uncomfortable. He was replacing a cult hero in Boston and a leader in the locker room.

Doc Rivers during his WEEI interview said that him and Danny Ainge remain friends, however, he also said that he was hurt by Ainge's statement that Rivers didn't want to coach in Boston if their was a rebuild. Now, it seems like Rivers is second guessing his old general manager, and it seems completely unnecessary unless he really is trying to railroad Ainge and discredit his ability to rebuild this current Celtics roster.

On WEEI when pressed about his departure from Boston, Rivers wanted to move the conversation away from him leaving Boston, saying it was "old stuff." However, when asked about really "old stuff" he had no problem saying that trading Perkins was a mistake:

I think so, because we needed the toughness. The one thing we did by losing Perk was we removed Kevin’s protector. I didn’t think it was a coincidence that, after Perk left, that Kevin got into all those little flicks with the other teams. Perk deflected all that.

The Celtics will have to deal with a lot of discussion about the "old stuff" this year, especially if the wins are few and far between. The players and coaches that left Boston will have no problem talking about it, especially if it's in their interest to improve their legacy during the good times.

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Pieter Van Iperen

 

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