May 9, 2011; Boston, MA, USA; Boston Celtics center Shaquille O

During the NBA on TNT telecast tonight, Shaquille O’Neal was Shaqtin a fool as usual. He normally goes on rants about why players aren’t as good as he was and the like. Tonight, we saw him doing his guard impression again. This behavior prompted another former Celtic, Kendrick Perkins, to tweet this.

Do Shack ever stop talking about himself. SMH

— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) May 7, 2013

Is there a bit of beef here? Maybe. I’m not too sure. This is relatively non-important and doesn’t really count as news. I just thought it was pretty funny. Its also worth noting that Shaq was one of the reasons that the Celtics felt that Kendrick Perkins was expendable in 2010.

Give Perkins a follow if you haven’t already. He’s really good at this twitter thing.

Oct 1, 2012; Oklahoma City, OK, USA; Oklahoma City Thunder center Kendrick Perkins (5) poses during the Oklahoma City Thunder media day at the Thunder Events Center. Mandatory Credit: Mark D. Smith-USA TODAY Sports

According to Gary Washburn of the Boston Herald, Kendrick Perkins could get amnestied by the Oklahoma City Thunder this upcoming offseason. This is what he said regarding the situation on 98.5 The Sports Hub.

“His contract is kind of an anchor at this point. He has not been statistically productive for the Thunder; the leadership is there but if you look at the numbers its nothing close to what he did in Boston. So I do think it’s a possibility,” said Washburn. “There are still some strong feelings for him in Boston.”

“You’re talking about Perkins getting amnestied and still getting his money, so obviously he’s not going to demand the same amount from the Celtics,” said Washburn. “I would say let’s see what happens with the Thunder this year; if they win the championship do they dump him – probably not.”

Unfortunately, reality sets in quickly. The Boston Celtics are currently over the salary cap, which puts Boston at a disadvantage if they have interest in bringing back Kendrick Perkins. According to the amnesty rule, teams below the salary cap get first dibs on players who have been cut from their teams, so unless all those teams pass on Perkins, it’s not likely that a reunion will occur.

When Boston made the trade that sent Perkins to the Oklahoma City Thunder, it wasn’t popular among the Celtics fan base, and it certainly was a tough move to make for management. No matter the excuses that were made for the reasons behind the trade, Boston could not afford to keep both Rajon Rondo and Kendrick Perkins which makes sense. However, one side of the spectrum that has been overlooked the past two and a half years is how the trade effected Kendrick Perkins. We all know that Boston’s defense hasn’t been the same, but Perkins’ individual game suffered just as badly playing for Oklahoma City.

From the beginning, I knew it wasn’t a good fit for the Thunder or Perkins. Oklahoma City runs the up-tempo offense on nearly every possession. Perkins was never known to run the floor well, and being on a team that always looks to push the tempo, his offensive productivity has plummeted as a result. This season he is only averaging 4.5 points per game and grabbing 6 rebounds, while in 2010 he was putting up 10.1 points per game to go along with 7.6 rebounds. Some may attribute his struggles to the torn ACL he suffered in the 2010 NBA Finals, but in the following season he was still averaging 7.3 ppg with the Boston Celtics.

Perkins contract may be an “anchor” to the Oklahoma City Thunder, but if they didn’t misuse him, or he was sent to a different team, his stats alone would prove his contract’s worth. Would I like to see Perkins return to the Celtics? Absolutely. Not only would Boston’s  interior defense benefit, but Kevin Garnett wouldn’t be required to do as much, and he could return to his natural position of power forward.

As I stated earlier, Boston’s chances of acquiring Kendrick Perkins if he got amnestied are not good. But who is to say that Danny Ainge wouldn’t try working on a trade that could send him back to the Celtics? It’s going to be an interesting development when the offseason begins, but one thing is definitely certain, if the Celtics sign Perkins, Boston will welcome him with open arms.

Mar 6, 2013; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jeff Green (8) makes the game winning shot with .5 of a second left against Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (24) at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. Boston defeats Indiana 83-81. Mandatory Credit: Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

Who would have thought that coming into this season after having heart surgery that Jeff Green would become one of the most vital players to the Boston Celtics success this season. Since the All-Star break Green has been averaging 16 points per game, and instead of showing flashes of what he can do for short periods of time, he’s been able to play with the same energy throughout entire games. What Celtics fans have been witnessing since January is the Jeff Green that Danny Ainge envisioned when he traded beloved center Kendrick Perkins in February of 2011 to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Two years later you won’t hear the complaints from Celtics fans on the trade if you turn on the radio or walk down the street. If you play well in Boston, you earn the love of the fans, and that’s what Jeff Green is doing.

Earlier in the season, it was Green’s athletic ability that got the fans hungry for more high flying dunks from him. It seemed like every night Green would be posterizing someone, and on that list consists some decent power forwards like Al Jefferson. Now he’s doing everything from hitting the perimeter jump shot, to driving to the basket with power, playing stellar defense, and making chase down blocks. Green has definitely developed into more of an all around player, doing everything it takes to get the Celtics victories on a nightly basis.

On Wednesday night, Jeff Green made the game winning layup on a great play that was drawn up by coach Doc Rivers. Two years ago that would have never happened, and Green wouldn’t have been in the position confidence-wise to have attempted such a play. With each passing game this season, Green has gained more confidence, not only in his game, but in himself. At first he was tentative, not sure what his body would allow him to do after the surgery, but once he gained his strength and game back he’s been absolutely sensational.

Two years ago, after being acquired for Kendrick Perkins, a lot of doubt swirled around him and many questioned whether he would fully replace Perkins in terms of production. After the last few months, what fans hoped for in Green is finally coming to fruition. Perkins will never be replaced, and even now the Celtics still miss his inside presence and rebounding ability. Green plays with his own style, and for me, that’s good enough. There were signs he was going to be a good player a few years ago, but now he’s been able to come in and make an impact every night.

Gary Tanguay of CSNNE said after the Boston Celtics defeated the Indiana Pacers, that Green is the future of the franchise. While I think that was the plan all along, it’s definitely become evident that when Paul Pierce retires, Green will be able to step up and produce the numbers that Boston will desperately need with their captain gone. Jeff Green is going to be important for the Celtics when the postseason begins, and for them to get far, it will be players like Green who might have to carry the team a few games in April and May.