Kendrick Perkins Signs with Cleveland Cavaliers

Tim KeeneyFeb 19, 2015

The Utah Jazz acquired Kendrick Perkins at the brink of Thursday's trade deadline, but after a contract buyout, Perkins has signed with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Continue for updates.

Cavs Officially Sign Perkins

Tuesday, Feb. 24

Cleveland general manager David Griffin announced the team has signed Perkins, via the Cavaliers' official website. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

On Monday, Jason Lloyd of the Akron Beacon Journal reported that Perkins had cleared waivers. Lloyd added that a contract with Cleveland was "not yet complete, but that's a formality at this point."

On Feb. 21, Perkins announced he would sign with the Cavaliers:

David Aldridge of NBA.com indicated why Perkins may have chosen Cleveland:

Wojnarowski reported earlier Saturday that the Cavs had emerged as the leaders to land Perkins. The Los Angeles Clippers, led by Perkins' old Boston Celtics coach, Doc Rivers, were recruiting the big man "hard" as well, per Woj.

How Will Cavs Integrate Perkins?

Tuesday, Feb. 24

Bleacher Report's Ethan Skolnick weighed in the Cavaliers' biggest questions heading into the season's final stretch, including how they might integrate Perkins into the lineup:

Perkins Likely to Be Bought Out; Bulls, Clippers, Cavs Potential Suitors

Thursday, Feb. 19

Shortly after news broke that Perkins was on his way to Utah as part of Oklahoma City's three-way deal with Detroit, ESPN.com's Royce Young reported that he would soon become a free agent:

In addition to the Cavaliers and Clippers, the Chicago Bulls are also in the mix to sign Perk, per Wojnarowski:

Wojnarowski mentioned the Mavericks as a potential suitor as well before team owner Mark Cuban denied interest, per Darnell Mayberry of The Oklahoman.

On the season, the 30-year-old is averaging 4.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 0.7 blocks in 19.2 minutes per game. He doesn't bring much on the offensive end, but he rebounds, defends and provides solid frontcourt depth off the bench.

He has also played 135 career postseason games with the Thunder and Celtics, an important factor for contenders, as Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix noted:

Perhaps most importantly, Perk is a veteran who is seen as a positive locker room presence. The Oklahoman's Anthony Slater reported that he was "beloved" by Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant, and his strong character was put on display with a grateful goodbye after Thursday's trade:

Perkins may not alter the landscape of the NBA playoffs, but he's going to give a title contender a solid boost as we enter the final two months of the regular season.