Free agent center Kendrick Perkins and the New Orleans Pelicans have agreed to a one-year contract, reports ESPN's Marc Stein. The deal will pay Perkins the veteran's minimum to be the third-string center and a mentor to 22-year-old Anthony Davis.
Perkins, 30, spent the first dozen years of his career playing for the Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder and Cleveland Cavaliers. During the 2014-15 season, he was traded by OKC to the Utah Jazz, but didn't play a game for them before getting waived. He eventually signed with Cleveland and stuck with the team through its NBA Finals run.
That was the fourth time that Perkins has been a member of a conference champion after reaching the NBA Finals twice with Boston and once with Oklahoma City. He played just four minutes per game for the Cavaliers so at this point in his career he's largely been relegated to being bench fodder.
Still, all that playoff experience makes him a useful player to have in a young locker room, and he'll be an important voice on the Pelicans as they try to get past the first round of the playoffs next season. Davis is already emerging as one of the game's best players, Alvin Gentry is an exciting coaching hire and now Perkins can offer additional advice after over 140 postseason contests since 2004.
What Perkins brings on the court isn't quite as exciting, although every team needs big bodies at the end of the bench. Davis and Omer Asik will dominate the playing time in the post for New Orleans, so Perkins won't be needed for more than a few minutes a night. Last season, he averaged just 3.6 points in 16.9 minutes per game, so his biggest contributions will likely come by supporting his superstar teammate.