Kendrick Perkins: Doc Rivers didn’t speak to me for years after I joined Cavs over Clippers

In the middle of the 2014-15 campaign, former NBA big man Kendrick Perkins was on the lookout for his next home after he was traded from the Oklahoma City Thunder to the Utah Jazz and quickly waived by Utah. Ultimately, he went on to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the Los Angeles Clippers were an option for Perkins as well.

The Clippers were in their “Lob City” era at that point and had Perkins’ former head coach on the Boston Celtics, Doc Rivers. It seems Rivers took Perkins’ decision to spurn the Clippers for the Cavaliers hard, as he apparently didn’t speak to the big man for years after he joined Cleveland.

“That move to Cleveland, a lot of people don’t know this, but it was a big moment for me because I was traded from Oklahoma City to Utah,” Perkins said. “I wasn’t going to Utah, you know what I’m saying? I told ’em straight up, they could waive me, do whatever they needed to do.

“And at that time, I had a option — I had three options — because by the time you clear waivers, you know what I’m saying, it’s early March. It’s only probably about 20 games left in the season, so you’re trying to point out what contender you could go to, right?

“At that time, it was Cleveland. They had just won like I think 20 out of 24 games heading into the postseason. They hitting they stride. It was the Clippers with Blake Griffin, Doc. And it was Chicago with Thibs (Tom Thibodeau), you know what I’m saying, D-Rose (Derrick Rose), Jimmy Butler.

“And man, I end up — it was gonna be between the Clippers and Cleveland. And I ditched Doc, and that s— f—– up our relationship. Me and Doc, Doc ain’t speak to me for three years behind that s—.”

According to an ESPN report that came out right after his decision to join the Cavaliers, quite a few teams around the league were interested in adding Perkins to the fold. Along with the Cavaliers, Clippers and Chicago Bulls, he also drew “heavy interest” from the New Orleans Pelicans and San Antonio Spurs. At the time, Perkins had a reputation as an enforcer and strong post defender.

However, looking back on his decision all these years later, it’s not clear that he made the optimal career move by joining the Cavaliers. He played a limited role for Cleveland after he signed with the team, as he averaged just 9.8 minutes per game in the regular season after coming over. Then, he didn’t see action in a lot of the team’s games during its time in the 2015 NBA Playoffs.

Not only that, but he left the Cavs to sign with the Pelicans in free agency that summer. Had he won a ring with Cleveland in 2015, there would be no reason to question his decision, but that wasn’t how it played out in the postseason. Cleveland came up just short of the Larry O’Brien Trophy and lost to the Golden State Warriors in six games in the championship series.

At least it seems as if Perkins and Rivers were able to resume speaking at some point, as they certainly have lots of fond memories that should be cherished stemming from their 2008 championship with the Celtics.