Shaq Says He Told Danny Ainge Not to Trade Kendrick Perkins

There’s a Q+A with the Big Fella today up on NOLA.com, and in it Shaq says he told Celtics GM Danny Ainge not to do the Kendrick Perkins deal because of his own uncertain health. Here’s what he had to say: “At 39, I wasn’t mentally on the down slope. But I used to feel really terrible after scoring eight points. This ain’t me, the Diesel scoring eight points. My mind was on winning the whole thing, and we had a chance to get the second spot (in the Eastern Conference), and we ended up getting the fourth spot. I even told (Boston General Manager) Danny Ainge not to do the Kendrick Perkins deal with Oklahoma City. I told them I might not be ready, and I’m definitely not coming back. Those guys did what they’ve got to do. I wasn’t surprised; I’ve seen it before. They say all that blah, blah, but you know it’s always going to be something different.”