Al Jefferson comments on Perk being traded

Jefferson: 'Not a Boston defense without Perk'
Posted by Julian Benbow, Globe Staff February 28, 2011 09:13 PM


SALT LAKE CITY -- Kendrick Perkins and Al Jefferson were like Siamese twins when they were both in Celtics uniforms. Jefferson was the half that put the ball in the basket. Perkins was the one who kept it out. When Perkins tore his ACL last summer, Jefferson, who had been through the injury and the recovery process before, came to Boston to help Perkins through it. He was as shocked as anyone to hear Perkins was traded last Thursday and, having been dealt by the Celtics four years ago, he'll have a some more advice to give Perkins.

He talked to the Globe briefly before the game:


Jefferson is still shocked by the Perkins trade.

Initial impressions: I still can’t believe it. It’s not a Boston defense without big Perk down there. It kind of sucks for me too because I’ve got to face him four times year now. [Expletive]. But I don’t ever question nothing Danny does, because he brought me into this [league], so maybe Danny knows something that don’t nobody else know. But I was shocked.

Talking to Perkins: I haven’t gotten a chance to talk to him. I’m just waiting for everything to calm down a little bit, and when he gets settled in, I’ll reach out to him. This is his first time getting traded, so this’ll be my second time giving him advice on stuff. But he’s in a good situation, Oklahoma City they’re a great team and they needed somebody like Perk on the defensive end. He’s in a great situation, it just shocked me as far as Boston’s concerned.

Face of the defense: On the outside looking in, people always say Kevin was the face of the defense, but when you’re playing against that defense, Perk was the face of that defense. Perk was the one that the defense sent everybody to. Perk was the goaltender. He was the one that made guys afraid to go in that basket. I’m a scorer in this league and I hated playing against him. Then, along with Kevin Garnett and his leadership that just made him better.

What the Celtics get in Krstic: Krstic's a great offensive player and -- he's not, to me, up there with Perk on the defensive end -- but he plays great defense along with Kevin Garnett and everybody else out there. When JO gets back healthy and Shaq gets back healthy, I think they're still going to be deep at the big spot. And also, guys can't lay off of him like they did on Perk, because he can hit that jumper. He can score, too. So they got something back good in return for Perk. But just as far as that team, the way that team was set up, Perk was just perfect for it.

Classy comments. He showed last night with his D12/KLove effort that we have a long way to go with this trade.

I still miss having Big Al here in Boston, though, given what we got, I know that the trade was definitely the right thing to do. I just always loved his offensive game.
He has such great footwork in and around the basket. Great kid.

as much fun as the last few seasons have been ive often wondered what a Perkins/jefferson duo would be like nowadays.. wouldnt trade #17 to find out, but...