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2009 Celtics Summer League Team Preview

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Player Preview: Kendrick Perkins

Celtics center Kendrick Perkins, above, will look to have a breakout season by staying out of foul trouble in 2007-08.(Courtesy of NBA.com)

Besides Paul Pierce, Celtics center Kendrick Perkins is the longest-tenured member of the team. Yes, you read that right. He’ll be entering his fifth year with the C’s, and will look to get back to the post-season for the first time since his sophomore campaign (2004-2005). He’ll have a lot of help this time around, with new additions Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett highlighting a total of nine new players. That also means more than half of last year’s roster is no longer with the team, so it may take a while for Perkins to get used to his new teammates. How did Perk and his old teammates do last season?

Well, to sum it up, they had a laundry list of injuries and accumulated the second-worst record in the NBA at 24-58. Perk himself had a decent season as the team’s starting center. He played in 72 games (53 starts), averaging 4.5 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 1.33 blocks in just 21.9 minutes per game. Getting into foul trouble plagued Perk last season, as he averaged 3 personal fouls in just over 20 minutes per game.

Foul trouble has been a growing concern for Perk ever since he entered the league. Perhaps if he had gone to college before going pro it would’ve helped, but either way Perk (6′10″, 280 pounds) is too aggressive at times. He’s not really fluid with some of his defensive moves, and oftentimes he can inadvertently foul his opponent. Now entering his fifth season, Perk should be able to grow up into a smarter rebounder and defender. With his buddy Al Jefferson gone, Perk will need to stay out of foul trouble. He’s proven that when given minutes, he will produce. Perhaps the addition of KG will provide Perkins a lot of help up front. How big of an impact will KG have on Perk’s inside game?

A gigantic impact. Now, that’s not a knock on Big Al, but bringing in a 10-time all-star and former NBA MVP in KG was big in terms of Perk’s development. Perkins doesn’t have to concentrate on scoring in the paint. His job now is to just go for the rebound and put-backs aggressively. Let Garnett do the hard stuff (post moves, moves toward the hoop). When KG is effective, Perk will become more effective as well. I can see it now: KG goes up for a shot but pump-fakes and dishes it around the defender to Perk, who proceeds to slam it home.

Another important aspect of Perkins’ development this season will be his health. If he can stay active and healthy, he could have a breakout season. Last season, he was hampered by plantar fasciitis in his left foot. Perk suffered the injury in December and missed a bunch of games, but came back and played the rest of the season with the injury. Early reports (from the Globe’s Shira Springer) indicate that he is fully recovered:

“I’ve got to be able to give my best every night,” said Perkins, fully recovered from the left foot plantar fasciitis that sidelined him for a spell and prevented him from playing at top form during the second half of last season. “I’m excited about this season and I’m trying to put my all into it. This is a blessed opportunity to be on a team with Paul [Pierce], Kevin Garnett, and Ray Allen.”

To that end, Perkins has spent a lot of time at the Celtics’ practice facility, working on his conditioning, strength, and 15-foot shot and returning for only brief stays to his hometown of Beaumont, Texas.

Perk’s recovery from the foot injury and the loss of his teammates (especially his best friend Al Jefferson) will be important in how he will fare this season. We all know Perk has the skills, but does he have the ability to move past losing his friends and and move ahead on the C’s depth chart? Look for Perk to average about 30 minutes per game in his fifth season, with potential improvements for Perk across the board in points, rebounds, assists, and blocks.

Kendrick Perkins’ player projection for 2007-2008:

Player	MIN	PPG	RPG	APG	BPG
Kendrick Perkins	29	6.5	9.0	1.6	1.8

Key:

• MIN = minutes per game
• PPG = points per game
• RPG = rebounds per game
• APG = assists per game
• BPG = blocks per game

Tags: Celtics, Kendrick Perkins

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