Celebrating a championship banner is a rare moment, though for the Boston Celtics, it’s a more familiar tradition than for most NBA teams. When Boston last raised a banner, Kendrick Perkins was both present and a member of the squad. This time, however, he was absent, despite reportedly wishing to join former teammates Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett for the occasion. According to The U.S. Sun, the Celtics showed little interest in inviting him.
A team source shared with reporters Steve Brenner and David Scott, “He was asking everyone for a spot at TD Garden, wanting to witness this historic event and perhaps repair strained ties with the team.”
Yet Perkins dismissed this claim on Twitter/X, stating, “This is completely false. I never planned to attend Banner Night, and I never reached out to anyone in the Celtics organization about attending.”
Whether Perkins actually tried to attend remains unclear. But if he did, it wouldn’t be unexpected for the Celtics to deny him, given his outspoken criticisms in recent years. Now an ESPN commentator, Perkins has repeatedly criticized current Celtics players, like Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown, even going so far as to call head coach Joe Mazzulla a “bird brain” last season.
Brian Scalabrine, Perkins’ former Celtics teammate, also suggested tension between Perkins and the team earlier this year on his Sirius XM radio show. This aligns with The U.S. Sun’s recent report, which cited a current Celtics player who expressed frustration with Perkins, stating, “The hatchet won’t be buried anytime soon. He’s shown little respect, and many of us don’t even want to hear about him. His comments felt disrespectful to our work and the organization.”
While analysts are expected to offer fair and unbiased criticism, many feel Perkins has taken it too far with the Celtics, often downplaying the accomplishments of last year’s team. Given this ongoing friction, it’s uncertain why Perkins would want to be involved with the Celtics again. Though he was once part of a championship team and enjoyed fan support during his playing days, he would likely face boos if shown on TD Garden’s big screen.
His denial of The U.S. Sun’s report leaves lingering questions. If Perkins indeed felt excluded, it’s difficult to understand, given the Celtics community’s current feelings toward him.
