Former Celtic Kendrick Perkins signs with Cleveland - again


The Cleveland Cavaliers once again picked up center Kendrick Perkins, just in time to be eligible for the playoffs. The Cavs have one game remaining in their regular-season schedule (against the Knicks), and Perkins will need to play in that game to ensure he is entitled to participate in the post-season.

The irony here is that Boston currently holds claim to the 27th pick in the upcoming NBA draft, and that is where Perk was taken by Memphis in 2003. He was immediately shipped to Boston along with guard Marcus Banks. This will be Kendrick's 14th season in the NBA. He was part of the Celtics' 2008 Championship crew and his injury prior to the seventh game against the Lakers in the 2010 NBA Finals may have cost Boston another Title.

Perk has always had a workman-like attitude on the court, but he certainly was not one of the most talented players to roam the hardwood. He has career averages of 5.4 points, 5.8 rebounds and 1.2 blocks. He had no shot past five feet and that included free throws (59.4%). But surrounded by Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen and Rajon Rondo, he was just what the Celtics needed in the middle. He was generally known, and still is, as an enforcer, and he would certainly be right up there on the All-NBA-Scowl Team.

The Cavaliers previously signed Perk in 2015 and went to the Finals with him. They have signed him again, and just in time. He will serve as enforcer and locker room presence, and it may get interesting to see a potential Perkins/Aron Baynes match-up should Boston meet Cleveland in the post-season. Perk is a rugged individual, but Aron (according to Tommy Heinsohn) "looks like all of Australia". Could get interesting.


Follow Tom at @TomLaneHC

Photo via Lisa Blumenfield/Getty Images North America
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