Kendrick Perkins, a key member of the Boston Celtics‘ 2008 championship team, may have been excluded from the team’s recent banner-raising ceremony, a snub that highlights a growing rift between the former player and the organization, according to a recent report.
According to The Sun (U.S.), a source close to the Celtics revealed Perkins expressed interest in attending the banner-raising ceremony.
The former center, however, has refuted these claims on X, stating that he never intended to attend the event and did not reach out to the organization regarding it.
Sounds like you’re WRONG. This is completely False. I never had plans on attending Banner night and I’ve never reached out to anyone in the Celtics organization about attending banner night. Happy Sunday and Carry the hell on… https://t.co/perTK3fRki
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) November 3, 2024
The jury may be out on whether the former center got snubbed on opening night. But how did we get here?
Hot Takes and Cold Shoulders
Perkins has been known for his increasingly candid opinions on the Celtics in recent times. In February, he publicly criticized head coach Joe Mazzulla, calling him a “bird brain” on NBA Countdown following a loss to the Denver Nuggets.
Then, during the playoffs, Perkins took aim at Celtics star forward Jayson Tatum, questioning his performance and leadership abilities.
“I’m so over Jayson Tatum,” Perkins said on ESPN’s First Take. “When is he going to arrive? He talked about how he couldn’t wait to get to the postseason. Well, it’s here. What are you going to do about it? It’s in his hands, this is Jayson Tatum’s moment.”
These comments came when the Celtics were up 2-0 in the series, at a time when Tatum was averaging 25.2 points per game. The Celtics would go on to sweep the Indiana Pacers.
Perkins’ outspokenness has also drawn criticism from former teammates. Brian Scalabrine, another member of the 2008 championship team, suggested on SiriusXM Radio after the Celtics championship that Perkins would not be invited to the celebrations.
“No, no, no, no, no, no,” Scalabrine said on SiriusXM Radio. “Big scarlet letter. It’s not really an open-arms thing with Kendrick Perkins.”
Perkins responded by calling Scalabrine a “coward” for avoiding him and not picking up his phone calls.
Mazzulla Preaches “Open Door Policy”
Seven games into the season, Joe Mazzulla seems more focused than ever. He isn’t being cautious about his hope for the Celtics this season, either.
“People are gonna say the target is on our back, but I hope it’s right on our forehead in between our eyes,” Mazzulla said during an episode of the “Locked On Celtics” podcast. “I hope I can see the red dot.”
Last June, he reiterated that he finds value in keeping an open door policy, and that former players like Perkins would be welcome to drop by.
“I hope that any and every Celtic feels like they can come to any practice or any game and be a part of that,” Mazzulla told NBC Sports Boston.
Snub or not, it seems like a path to reconciliation between Perkins and the organization may exist, if the two sides are indeed interested.
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