Pacers waive veteran Perkins September 17, 2001 Print it INDIANAPOLIS -- Sam Perkins, the oldest player in the NBA last season, just didn't fit into the Indiana Pacers' plans any more. He was too old to be part of their youth movement and too expensive to keep around. On Monday, the Pacers waived Perkins, one of the best outside shooting big men in league history. "In the pre-luxury tax days, you gave the edge to a player like Sam," team president Donnie Walsh said after announcing the decision. "Now, with the luxury tax, and we are close to that, it forces you to make the decision to go with a younger player." Perkins, who turned 40 in June, decided to retire before last season. But the forward-center reconsidered retirement and returned to the Pacers for a 17th season, agreeing to a three-year deal. Walsh said that even then, Perkins knew the reality was he had a one-year contract. "That's why the last two years weren't guaranteed," Walsh said. "Either way, he knew it could have happened this way." Walsh cited financial reasons and playing time for younger players as the primary reasons to release Perkins. Teams with payrolls above a certain level, estimated at $54 million, will have to pay a dollar-per-dollar tax to the NBA. This is the first year for the luxury tax, and the payroll limit will be announced following the season. The other issue was playing time. With free agent Carlos Rogers, young veterans such as Jeff Foster, Bruno Sundov and Jermaine O'Neal and rookie Primoz Brezec, Walsh figured Perkins would take away minutes from the younger players. "The bottom line is that we have to give the younger players some playing time," Walsh said. The Pacers said Perkins, through his agent, agreed to have the move announced before Oct. 1 so that he would have a better opportunity to continue his playing career -- if he wants. "I think he still does have the desire to play," Walsh said. "He decided to come back last year, and I asked him about it during the season and he indicated he still wanted to play." Perkins, who played with Michael Jordan on North Carolina's 1982 national championship team, was the fourth overall pick by Dallas in 1984. He played six seasons with the Mavericks and ranks among the franchise's top five in rebounds, blocks, points and steals. He spent the next two seasons with the Los Angeles Lakers before moving to Seattle for part of the next season. After 30 games, Perkins was back with the Lakers to finish the season. In 1993-94, he returned to Seattle, where he played five seasons before signing with the Pacers in 1998-99. Last season, Perkins started 41 of 64 games, averaging 3.8 points and 2.6 rebounds. Over his career he has averaged 11.9 points and 6.0 rebounds. Perkins also was a member of the 1984 U.S. Olympic basketball team, which won a gold medal. Copyright 2001 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
You beat me to the punch I just saw the article and thought some people may be interested. If he is real cheap, he may be worth looking at.
I think there might be cheap younger players that are available (Europe, FAs, etc...) that would be more athletic and play like they have something to prove. Perkins would be playing exclusively for a paycheck and nothing else. Probably would not be a good pickup.
I KNEW IT!! The moment I saw on the ESPN ticker that Sam Perkins was waived by the Pacers, I thought, "I wonder how long it will be before someone on CC.net suggests we pick this guy up" Man...so far this offseason, people have suggested we pick up Sam Perkins, Dennis Rodman, Otis Thorpe, and Chris Dudley...can you say "mini wheelchair night" at the Compaq Center?
The Rockets don't need old people like Sam Perkins to slow the team down. This is a young "in your face" team! Can't wait till the season starts.
The only ones who want him in Houston, are the drug dealers. This guy looks so high, he's on Cloud 10.
What's wrong with you guys? Yeah, maybe he's too old and not worth it, but it's not like we're not starving for bodies up front. Say what you want about him, but Perkins' game fits the Rockets. He's a big body, not terrible in the middle, and a career 36% 3-pt shooter. Last year was his worst shooting year in eight years, but he still shot 35% from the arc. No, that's hardly great or anything, but if we need a body at center for 10-20 minutes a game, he's available and can be had for cheap. I'm not saying we should get him. I'm just saying he's an option worth considering for the type of role we're looking to fill.
We do need big men, but we need big men who can hit the boards and block some shots. Perkins doesn't fit that mold.
You don't want Big Smooth. He plays most of his game hanging around the perimeter. He doesn't rebound because he's not even close enough to the basket when the ball goes up for him to have a chance at it. Imagine a bigger Matt Bullard and you have Perkins. One good thing he does is use his big body to lean on guys like Shaq, but with a lack of really big guys at C, that strategy is limited. Now one thing that Sam supposedly is good at is mentoring/tutoring younger players. In terms of on the court output, you've got a lot of gus who can do what he does already. I think you need a true, stereotypical hang around the basket big man to comliment your explosive backcourt. We pacer fans will miss Smooth's personality and stability, but that's it.
Umm... wouldn't these younger players need the paycheck more than an almost 20 year veteran? And who said athletism makes a great basketball team? Athletism gets you on Sportscenter; it doesn't bring you championships. I would really love to get Perkins on this team. He's a great shooter from the outside who can stretch the defense, and give us a solid 10-15 minutes per game from the center position. He also has a lot of playoff and championship experience, which could help with a young team. He's not the answer, but we don't need him to be. If he'll sign for the minimum and bring us 10-15 minutes a game off the bench, he'd be a very welcome addition imho.
No thanks to Sam Perkins. We've already got one slow, jump-shooting center in Jason Collier. We need a thug to push people around, and rebound like a man possessed.
OK...so you almost sold me...maybe I'm somewhat weak willed...oh well. I see most of the posts regarding this 'mythical' power forward/center that we are going to pick up that will have great positive outcomes never materializing. I think the best possible outcome of bringing in an additional big man would be with the signing of Marc Jackson, who, in turn, has a productive season and fits well into the scheme of the team.
You know this reminded me of a pretty funny story. About 3 years ago, during a family reunion, I ran into someone in the family that did construction over on the West Coast. He talked about how he was on one of the constructions crews that worked on Perkins' home, I think in Seattle he said, and he talked about how Sam Perkins threw the wildest, rowdiest weed parties around. I laughed because I knew it was probably true. I told him I figured that Perkins was high, because he was wasted during the 1997 2nd round series against the Rockets and he laughed and said he remembered that series and Perkins was tore up. I don't know if you guys still have the tape, but during Game 3 or 4 I can't remember, Perkins gave this wacked out, goofy grin to the Rockets after he hit a free throw and you knew he was wasted. I swear, if you walked up to him today and asked him about that series he couldn't tell you word one about it. It wasn't a coincidence that he was barely drawing iron, and throwing up air balls in that series. Dude was missing wide open shots. His eyes were so blood shot red he could have been the devil himself. Just some funny, wacked out stuff.
The article said he just turned 40, but I could have sworn he was closer to 60. Did anyone else notice Indiana opted for Carlos Rogers over Perkins? Why would we waive Carlos Rogers, only to pick up the guy he replaced?
Why would we let Dream go only to sign someone who is older, slower, and far and away more deterioated then Dream could ever dream of being. Hakeem could be 60 years old and ball more then Sam Perkins can right now. I'd take Jelani McCoy over "The Big Smooth weed smoker".
I'd take Jelani McCoy over "The Big Smooth weed smoker". As would anyone in their right mind. I'm in no way saying take Perkins over Mccoy and Jackson, but he is a nice fallback plan. I'd rather sign him than some younger CBA center, in most circumstances. Also, Rocks, I'm sure the Rockets wouldn't have let Dream go if he were ready to sign for the minimum like Perkins.
