Kendrick Perkins (pectoral) recently told CSN New England's Kyle Draper that he's targeting a return to the court Friday against the Wizards.

Perkins (pectoral) recently told CSN New England's Kyle Draper that he's targeting a return to the court Friday against the Wizards.

Analysis:

This is quite the development for Perkins, who was initially projected to miss as long as three months after suffering a right pectoral strain in early November. Just over a month into his recovery, it appears Perkins is progressing faster than anticipated, and if he's able to get in a few practices early this week, a Friday return isn't out of the question. While the Pelicans have been leaning on Omer Asik and Alexis Ajinca as their center tandem of late, neither player has been afforded consistent minutes due to their uneven play. As a result, it's possible that Perkins could work his way into a rotation role or even overtake Asik as the team's starter at center, but don't expect Perkins to play more than 10 or 15 minutes per night or offer much fantasy utility.