Rumor: Perk, Walker for #2 Pick

This latest rumor comes via Michael Felger and Gary Tanguay of Comcast:

"We heard a rumble today, just a little rumble. Danny’s throwing a bunch of stuff against the wall as he likes to do. Memphis sitting there at number two. Perk and was it J.R. Giddens?" (Tanguay clarifies it’s Bill Walker).

Please, I'm praying this rumor is pure garbage. You don't take a 24 year-old tough as nails defensive minded center who makes just $4 million per year and trade him for the #2 pick in an average draft class. Even if the Celtics draft the 7-2 Hasheem Thabeet - is he ready to become the starting center on a championship caliber team?

Bill Simmons has some good analysis on Kobe Bryant and the Lakers:

Did they deserve to win the title? Of course. But they didn't win because Kobe "really wanted this" and "trusted his teammates" and "finally figured it out" and all that revisionist crap. Check out the relevant per-game numbers from the postseason:

2008 Kobe (21 games): 30.1 pts, 5.7 reb, 5.6 ast, 3.3 TO, 22.0 FGA, 9.2 FTA, 47.9 FG%, 81 FT%, 30 3FG%, 41.1 MPG.

2009 Kobe (23 games): 30.2 pts, 5.3 reb, 5.5 ast, 2.6 TO, 23.0 FGA, 8.6 FTA, 45.7 FG%, 88 FT%, 35 3FG%, 40.9 MPG.

Hmmmmmm. Am I crazy ... or do those numbers look EXACTLY the same? He brought his turnovers down a little, did a little better from the charity stripe, and that's about it. Ironically, "Unselfish And Finally Getting It" Kobe averaged more shots in the 2009 playoffs than "Selfish And Doesn't Get It" Kobe did in 2008 AND made less of them.

Today's Links: Shank - Lakers Fans Living in La-La Land | Herald - Walker, Scal Visit White HouseCeltics Ponder "What If?" | Milford Daily News - | Exception Mag - Lakers Have 10 Titles, Not 15

(hat tip to Celticsblog on the Perk rumor)