After being dealt to the Utah Jazz before the trade deadline on Thursday afternoon, Kendrick Perkins has completed a buyout with them and has agreed to sign with the Cleveland Cavaliers, according to Royce Young of ESPN.
Perkins was part of the blockbuster deal that sent Reggie Jackson to the Detroit Pistons, D.J. Augustin, Kyle Singer, Enes Kanter, and Steve Novak to the Oklahoma City Thunder, and Grant Jerrett along with Perkins to the Jazz.
The Jazz had every intention to buyout Perkins’ $9.6 million expiring contract upon acquiring him.
This season, Perkins’ role diminished as a member of the Thunder, as he played in 51 games with only three starts. He averaged 4.0 points and 5.5 rebounds in 19.2 minutes per game. With Cleveland, the veteran big should continue to play off the bench as the backup of Timofey Mozgov and could provide some physicality on defense.
The Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Clippers, and Chicago Bulls also had interest in Perkins, but according to David Aldridge of NBA.com, Perkins believes he will have a better chance to win with the Cavaliers and should see a larger role.