Ibaka has defense with his blocks, but Perk has size and the ability to put a body on a man with his defense. He also is a master at the "pick" part of "pick and roll."
Remember we got Perk in a trade at the end of his contract, and we signed him to a 4 year extension at the end of that. 9mil per year sounds like a lot, but for what Perkins does on defense and assisting the other scorers is much more balanced than what Harden could offer. He's a much more balanced player, even though his points don't show his offensive contribution on paper.
Harden put up 37 points, and he'll continue to be a leading scorer. But we had TWO leading scorers already. No room for another offensive guard to start. Sefolosha, Perkins, and Ibaka all offer defensive balance to the team. At least, I think that is where Presti was going with this. And I tend to trust it's a wise move.
