Cavs will pick up Kendrick Perkins’ $2.5 million option

The Cavaliers will pick up Kendrick Perkins’ $2.5 million 2018-19 contract option, according to a report from ESPN’s Dave McMenamin.

And while the Cavs signed Perkins on the final day of the regular season to add a veteran presence, the big man is unlikely to actually be on the roster come fall. By picking up his contract, the team can pair his salary with an existing contract in order to pursue a trade. By doing that, the Cavs in theory could add a larger contract to their roster.

The contract is currently not guaranteed, and the Cavs would have to guarantee it before they could trade him. If they would be unable to include him in a deal, they could also waive him.

Perkins made an appearance in the final game of the regular season against the New York Knicks, but did not play at all in the 2018 postseason.