Kendrick Perkins would 'absolutely' consider Celtics assistant coach role

https://www.nbcsports.com/boston/celtics/kendrick-perkins-would-absolutely-consider-celtics-assistant-coach-role?cid=Yahoo&partner=ya4nbcs



Kendrick Perkins would 'absolutely' consider Celtics assistant coach role




By Darren Hartwell May 16, 2019 3:30 PM




Kendrick Perkins' window to return to the Boston Celtics as a player has essentially closed. But what if he joins the team that drafted him as a coach?

The Celtics have an open assistant coach position vacated by Micah Shrewsberry, who left for Purdue earlier this month. In an interview Thursday on "The Danny Picard Show", Perkins was asked if he'd be interested in filling that vacancy.

"Absolutely. There’s certain things you can’t turn down, and that’s one of them," Perkins told host Danny Picard.

The former NBA center, who spent his first eight NBA seasons with the Celtics, said in 2017 he'd "love to coach" after he finished playing and considered joining the Cleveland Cavaliers' coaching staff that year before signing on as a player.

Perkins confirmed last October he spoke to Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge about ending his playing career in Boston. A deal never materialized, though, and there are no signs the Celtics -- who reportedly interviewed J.B. Bickerstaff for the assistant coach opening Wednesday -- have spoken to Perkins about a coaching gig.

But Perkins is putting in the work coaching up draft prospects at the NBA Scouting Combine, and if an opportunity arises to coach in Boston, it sounds like he'd jump on it.

"I mean, you'd have no choice but to accept a job like that, man," he added.



bob
MY NOTE: Cowens would be in hog heaven...


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Perk could teach toughness, which this team desperately needs.  Perk could teach the value of accepting your limitations and being a role player.  The problem is that in today's NBA bigs are expected to be mobile on defense and be able to shoot from 3 and Perk was neither.  The traditional player roles, which Perk filled, no longer exist.

As far as Swish's question about "Can coaching alter temperament traits to any great extent?" goes I think the temperament change would have to begin with Brad, not Perk.  Brad's coaching style is all about being positive and supportive and not about harshness.  For Perk to get an assistant coaching job here, Kyrie or no Kyrie, would require the head coach to alter his temperament and realize he needs to tap into the dark side and hire a bad cop.


bob


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