--C Kendrick Perkins is taking things slowly after having offseason surgery on his left shoulder. He may miss some of the early preseason games, but things are better than he expected. The plan now is to have him resume full contact by the end of the second week of camp.
"I was expecting the worst," Perkins said. "I thought I was probably going to be out for a few regular-season games. Even if that's not what happens, it still (ticks) you off because you can't just get back to things right away. But that's why it was such a big decision of whether or not to have surgery. It was the timing of everything, when I would be back." The long Celtics season obviously put things off, but with the way the club sagged when Perkins missed Game 5 of The Finals, the team needed him as strong as possible.
--G Sam Cassell is back, and -- contrary to reports -- his one-year deal is fully guaranteed. The expectation is that this will be his final year, and he will move into coaching next season.
Cassell still thinks he's got something left.
"I'm 38, and I made the All-Star team at 34," he said. "I make the old guys who play at the YMCA proud. And if we win another championship, I might even play again. Who knows?"
QUOTE TO NOTE: "It was a short summer. I didn't get to work on my golf game much. That's a good thing." -- Coach Doc Rivers.
