Tag: Kendrick Perkins

Enes Kanter laughs at Kevin Durant’s reason to leave OKC

Kanter played 108 games with Durant in Oklahoma City across a season and a half after coming over from the Utah Jazz in February 2015.

Enes Kanter has never been one to shy away from controversy.

The Swiss-born Turkish national has been outspoken in recent years against the Turkish government as well as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for what he’s called a “human rights tragedy”.

Now, the former Thunder center is speaking about something else. Or rather, tweeting about something else.

Kanter’s former teammate in Oklahoma City, Kevin Durant, recently joined SHOWTIME Basketball’s All The Smoke, where he sat down with his former Golden State teammate Matt Barnes, as well as Stephen Jackson, to talk about things as he continues to work back from the Achilles injury that has kept him sidelined this season.

As it usually does with Durant, the conversation turned to his decision to leave Oklahoma City for the Warriors following the 2016 season. Durant said it was because he “needed a change” and that while in OKC he “didn’t play with a lot of skill guys”.

Kanter needed just five letters and a crying laughing emoji to respond.

Kanter played 108 games alongside Durant in OKC from 2015 through 2016. He averaged 18.7 points and 11 rebounds in 26 games after coming over from Utah in 2015, and 12.7 points and 8.1 rebounds the year after.

Kanter isn’t the first one of Durant’s former Thunder teammates to take issue with some of KD’s comments.

Durant and former-Thunder center, Kendrick Perkins, got into a Twitter feud in January after Perkins said that former Thunder point guard was the “best to ever put on a Thunder uniform”.

Perkins subsequently apologized to Durant on Twitter following the death of Kobe Bryant.

Durant on time in OKC: ‘I didn’t play with a lot of skilled guys’

Kevin Durant joined the All The Smoke podcast to discuss his decision to leave OKC after their loss to Golden State in the 2016 playoffs.

Kevin Durant isn’t naming names.

But it’s not difficult to guess who he was talking about.

The now Brooklyn Net was on the latest episode of SHOWTIME Basketball’s All The Smoke, where he joined former Golden State teammate, Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, to discuss among other things, his controversial decision to leave Oklahoma City following the 2016 season.

“In OKC I played with a lot of athletes, I didn’t play with a lot of skilled guys, not like shooters/ball handlers. … I was like, ‘I need a change.’ And this was before the season even started. … I was tired of having to be the only guy that can make 3s, make jump shots and consistently make them.”

Although Durant played alongside a lot of different guys during his nine-year tenure in Oklahoma City, one of the most athletic was former Thunder point guard, Russell Westbrook.

Together the two went to the playoffs six times over seven years, including a 2012 trip to the NBA Finals in which they were ultimately beaten by LeBron James and the Miami Heat.

KD was incredibly successful during his time in OKC. A seven-time All-Star and league MVP, he helped put the Thunder on the map as legitimate postseason contenders.

Durant’s final postseason series was the 2016 Western Conference Finals against the Golden State Warriors. The former-Thunder star caught a lot of heat for leaving Oklahoma City to join the team that had just beaten them, but he revealed on the podcast that it wouldn’t have mattered if OKC won the series, he still wanted to “live and play in The Bay”.

Durant is not expected to play this season as he continues to work back from a ruptured Achilles that he suffered in Game 5 of the 2019 NBA Finals.

He also discussed the Twitter beef with Kendrick Perkins, his time with the Warriors and the decision to join the Nets in the hour-plus long episode.

Kendrick Perkins squashes beef with KD after Kobe’s passing

Former Boston Celtic Kendrick Perkins decided to put his beef with former teammate Kevin Durant to bed after Los Angeles Laker luminary Kobe Bryant’s untimely death.

Sometimes, reality can put things in the starkest of perspectives, and for former Boston Celtic Kendrick Perkins, a Twitter beef with former teammate Kevin Durant needed squashing.

After Sunday’s untimely demise of Los Angeles Laker legend Kobe Bryant, more than a few players and fans both re-evaluated the state of their relationships with people close — or in some cases, formerly close — to them.

Still grieving from the loss, Perkins reached out to his former teammate via Twitter, and followed it up with his words in a phone interview with NBC Sports Boston’s Gary Tanguay on Sunday.

Perkins said, “I’m not about to let that go another day down the drain behind a B.S. Twitter beef that’s not called for … and our brotherhood, our friendship is more valuable.”

He would elaborate on that point, explaining to listeners, “I also wanted the world to see, hey, if you having problems with a loved one, a friend, a family member, whoever, hey.”

“Life is too short,” he continued. “The next 60 seconds is not promised. Nip that in the bud and heal those wounds with those people that you love and get past it. That’s what I wanted to do … and I wanted to reach out to KD to let him know … I love you bro.”

“And I’m not afraid to let the world see that I love you,” Perkins added.

Even those in our families and friends who are not and have never been basketball fans have come to a similar conclusion after the devastating news spread first through the wider NBA community and the world at large.

Kobe’s life — and death — will leave a mark on the world with his passing.

And hopefully, bring at least some of us closer together.

[lawrence-related id=28073,28049,28052]

Kendrick Perkins: Kobe Bryant was ‘real, real important’ to Kevin Durant

Following Kobe Bryant’s death on Sunday, Kevin Durant’s former teammate Kendrick Perkins apologized to the Nets star about their fight.

The death of Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gianna, struck the hearts of the entire basketball world on Sunday. Although NBA games were still played, it was clear that players’ minds were elsewhere throughout the day, as was the case with coaches, media and others who cherish the game of basketball.

Unfortunate occurrences like these warrant varying responses from everyone. Kyrie Irving was unable to play for the Nets in their game against the New York Knicks on Sunday after hearing the news. Spencer Dinwiddie did play, but he was emotional after the game when talking about his childhood hero, much like many other players across the league.

After learning the news of Bryant’s passing, one of Kevin Duran’s old teammates, Kendrick Perkins, felt compelled to apologize for a Twitter fight the two had recently:

During an appearance on 93.7 WEEI “Dale and Keefe” in Boston, Perkins explained how Bryant’s passing led to the public apology:

Yeah, sometimes, you know, God works in mysterious ways. And that’s how I felt. That’s how I feel right now. Sometimes you beef with loved ones or beef with brothers over the simple, craziest things that you shouldn’t even have done. Sometimes — I hate that it had to be with the death of the great Kobe Bryant for me to open my eyes to see that the relationship that me and Kevin had, or have, as far as a brotherhood, is bigger than that little Twitter war that we had, and I’m past it. I would rather not go another day without me nipping that in the bud and us working on our relationship to where it used to be, and that’s how I felt. And the reason that I took it to Twitter is because our beef was on Twitter. So, just like the beef was on Twitter, I was going to end it on Twitter in the public to let him know ‘This is how I feel, and I’m gonna let the world know. I’m not going to hide and just send you a text and leave the beef up in the air. And also, you want to set the example for everybody in the world that tomorrow is not promised. So you might wanna re-evaluate the people who you [are] beefing with, loved ones ’cause it’s not worth it. It’s not worth it at all.

Perkins has yet to hear back from Durant, though he understands because “Kobe was real, real important to KD.”

RELATED: Kenny Atkinson recalls last interaction with Kobe Bryant

RELATED: Spencer Dinwiddie perfectly encapsulates Kobe Bryant’s impact on a generation of athletes

Kendrick Perkins tried to reconcile his feud with Kevin Durant after Kobe Bryant’s death

“I’m sorry bro.”

Kobe Bryant’s death at 41 elicited an array of reactions as the sports world reeled from Sunday’s news of a deadly helicopter crash in Calabasas, Calif.

Shock and sadness were the understandable immediate reactions to the news, but for former NBA forward Kendrick Perkins, Bryant’s untimely death presented an opportunity to reflect on his feud with Kevin Durant. Perkins spent nearly five season in Oklahoma City with Durant, but the two sparred on Twitter two weeks ago. Perkins went as far as to tell Durant that he took the “coward way out” by joining the Warriors.

Sunday’s news, though, prompted Perkins to reach out to Durant and apologize.

Durant didn’t publicly respond, but extremely online K.D. almost certainly took notice to the gesture.

Perkins clearly regretted how he treated Durant there, especially since they were once close friends and teammates in Oklahoma City. And when a tragedy occurs like what happened on Sunday, it put into perspective how insignificant petty arguments can be — just how Dwight Howard preached that we should appreciate others while they’re alive. To honor Kobe, Perkins extended that olive branch — a simple gesture of humanity.

Bryant was among the nine dead in Sunday’s helicopter crash. His 13-year-old daughter Gianna was also among the victims.

You can read more from USA TODAY Sports.

[jwplayer yija50nJ-q2aasYxh]

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Kendrick Perkins apologizes to KD: ‘I’m sorry bro’, ‘I love you’

Kendrick Perkins apologized to former Thunder teammate Kevin Durant on Twitter Sunday following the news of Kobe Bryant’s tragic death.

In the wake of the news of Kobe Bryant’s death, the sentiment was shared across social media to take the time to let your loved ones know how much you care. To let grudges go. To forgive people for their mistakes, and ask forgiveness for your own.

Jay Williams may have summed it up best during his emotional tribute to Kobe on ESPN, imploring people to move past the little things.

Today’s a tough day. Today’s a hard day. I hope that everybody at home, you give that person next to you — whatever thing you have wrong in your life with them, it might be small or big — let that s–t go. It doesn’t matter,” Williams. “None of that stuff matters, man. This is about life and being precious with every damn second we have here.

It wasn’t just the “people at home”. The death of his friend moved Kendrick Perkins to try and mend fences with former teammate Kevin Durant.

Perkins tweeted out his apology on Sunday afternoon just hours after the initial news about Kobe’s helicopter crash broke.

Just wanted to tell you I Love you my brother and whatever I did to hurt you I’m sorry bro and hope you forgive me!!! I love you bro real Talk! @KDTrey5.

Perkins added in an additional tweet several hours later the Bryant, “would’ve wanted us to move past our differences”, and said his new life motto is “what would Kobe do?”

My new motto with everything is, What Would Kobe do? He’d want us to focus more on the loss of his daughter. He’d want us to get past differences with our brothers and move on. He’d never want the game to be cancelled or be stopped. He’d want us to keep going! #RIPKOBE

Perkins and his former Thunder teammate got into a Twitter feud earlier this month that started over Perkins calling Russell Westbrook “the best player to put on an Oklahoma City Thunder jersey”, implying that Durant lost the right to that title when he left OKC for Golden State following the 2016 season.

Perkins also updated his profile picture to one of him and Bryant, with his arm around Kobe.

Kobe, his daughter Gianna, and seven others were killed when their helicopter crashed 40 miles outside of Los Angeles on Sunday morning.

As of this writing, Durant has not publicly responded to Perkins’ apology.

Kendrick Perkins has a trade idea for Boston Enes Kanter’s not into

Former Celtic Kendrick Perkins might want to coach someday, but his GM game needs work after his last trade proposal for Boston, according to ex-teammate Enes Kanter.

Former Boston Celtic Kendrick Perkins put on his general manager hat for his former team with a trade suggestion, but at least one current Celtic wasn’t into it.

The former Celtics center has been providing color commentary at games and on the NBA’s favorite social media outlet Twitter this season, offering an interesting combination of sage advice and sometimes-inflammatory observations.

Perkins’ trade proposal falls somewhere in the two extremes, his idea being one of the bigger swings brought up by analysts this season.

While he doesn’t go into detail as to how the rest of the salary matching between the focus of his hypothetical deal — Oklahoma City Thunder center Steven Adams — and the player Boston would send out, All-Star forward Gordon Hayward.

Hayward earns roughly $7 million more than Adams, meaning another player or two would have to be included to make the deal CBA legal.

Perk has a connection to Adams, having played with him during the latter’s rookie season on the Thunder, so he may feel he has an insight many are missing. He may be right — at least about the team needing a defensive boost against some of the larger bigs Boston may face in the postseason.

“I think they need a defensive anchor at the center position, although Enes Kanter has been playing well [and Daniel] Theis has been playing extremely well,” Perkins offered on the WEEI radio show Dale and Keefe Thursday (via WEEI’S Nick Friar).

“But I think, in the playoffs, they’re missing that defensive anchor. They’re missing a guy like Steven Adams,” he continued.

In an interesting development, the former Celtic’s rhetorical question of who might pass on such a deal came from another former teammate of Adams’ despite their longtime friendship — Boston center Enes Kanter.

The former ‘Stache Brother might have poo-poo’d the proposal, but it’s not out of the question the team will make some kind of move before the deadline.

A big trade is unlikely, as the team lacks an available target capable of handling the Joel Embiids and Giannis Antetokounmpos of the NBA, making even a trade for Adams unlikely to do much to improve the fortunes of Boston’s post-season aspirations.

There have been rumbles the Celtics might be looking to add scoring off the bench, which would make sense given the weakness of the team’s second unit scoring. But time is running out — only two weeks remain for teams to finalize a deal to take place in the 2019-20 NBA season.

[lawrence-related id=27908,27719,27424]

Kendrick Perkins questions how Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant will mesh on the court

Kendrick Perkins heavily criticized Kyrie Irving on Boston sports radio, and questioned how the point guard will work with Kevin Durant.

Although they played together for a short while in Cleveland, Kyrie Irving’s ex-Cavs teammate, Kendrick Perkins, isn’t the Brooklyn Nets point guard’s biggest fan. Perkins was recently involved in a Twitter beef with Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant, but the former Oklahoma City Thunder teammates seem to get along outside of that one incident.

In fact, Perkins once again displayed his respect for Durant when he spoke about Brooklyn’s superstar during his appearance on 93.7 WEEI’s Dale and Keefe in Boston. However, the former NBA center turned analyst was, once again, not so kind to Irving.

After he ripped the Nets point guard, Perkins expressed his concern over how things will look in Brooklyn when the two are actually playing together:

When you have Kevin Durant on your team, your chances of winning are high. I just don’t know — I know [Durant and Irving] are good friends off the court. I just don’t know how great it’s gonna mesh with them two get together. Because you just never know about Kyrie. And I think it’s gonna be a challenge when they start playing to actually bring him along and hold him accountable.

Perkins then sited Irving being abruptly scratched from Monday’s game against the Philadelphia 76ers, despite having a day off on Sunday, as something that would not go over well with Durant:

Me knowing the player, the competitive person that Kevin Durant is, he’s gonna be — you know, I think there’s gonna be a few times that he bumps heads with Kyrie. Because one thing about KD, he loves to play the game of basketball and he’s got a high IQ for the game of basketball — and Kyrie is not gonna be able to fool him. And, hopefully, in which I think he will, KD will be the guy, the leader to call him out.

Unfortunately for Nets fans and the basketball world, no one will see what Irving and Durant look like as Brooklyn’s duo for a while, with the team not expecting the forward to play in 2019-20.

RELATED: WATCH: Kevin Durant shoots around at Nets practice

RELATED: Kyrie Irving available vs. Lakers, DeAndre Jordan out

Steven Adams weighs in on KD-Kendrick beef: ‘It’s two guys bickering’

Adams played alongside both Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Durant during the 2013-14 and 2014-15 seasons.

Steven Adams seems like the kind of guy that doesn’t take too much too seriously.

That could be because of the way that he calls everybody “mate” during interviews or the fact that it’s well documented that Adams can frequently be found walking around Oklahoma City sans shoes.

So while the rest of the league and those that cover it (this writer included) has spent the last couple of days collectively losing their minds about the Twitter feud between former Thunder teammates, Kevin Durant and Kendrick Perkins, Adams has a decidedly different, more mature take on the matter.

When asked his thoughts, Adams told Erik Horne of The Oklahoman that it was nothing more than “two guys bickering”.

Have you had a chance to go on Twitter and take a look at what Kevin and Kendrick have been going back and forth about?

Adams: I’d seen something pop up in the feed. They were kinda bickering back and forth, yeah?

I’d say that’s a good description.

Adams: Ah, you know how it is, mate. They’re both a bit bored, aye? They’re not doing much, so they’re probably just bored, mate. But it’s entertaining for you guys I bet, yeah? You guys getting a little kick out of it?

It’s interesting.

Adams: I wouldn’t say it’s interesting. It’s just some bickering. What’s interesting is the political stuff. American politics. That’s interesting. Not just two players bickering. C’mon.

Adams was drafted by Oklahoma City in 2013, so he overlapped playing with both Perkins and Durant during the 2013-14 and part of the 2014-15 season before Perkins was traded to the Jazz.

Things popped off on Twitter on Thursday night with what started as Perkins tweeting that he was jumping on SportsCenter to talk about why Russell Westbrook was the greatest to wear an Oklahoma City Thunder jersey and how Westbrook was “Mr. Thunder”.

Perkins subsequently apologized on The Jump on Friday, just to Kevin Durant. Perkins apologized instead to Westbrook for stealing his moment in his return to Oklahoma City.

Kendrick Perkins apologizes on The Jump, just not to Kevin Durant

Kendrick Perkins apologized to Russell Westbrook for overshadowing his moment and explained what happened between him and KD on Twitter.

Kendrick Perkins was ready with an apology on Friday afternoon’s edition of The Jump. Just not to Kevin Durant.

Perkins apologized to Russell Westbrook for taking away from his moment and his return to Oklahoma City on Thursday night.

Now Perkins did somewhat backtrack his statement about Westbrook being the best to ever put on a Thunder jersey, saying that, “I never meant to say that Russell Westbrook is an overall better basketball player than Kevin Durant. I’ve said it on The Jump last year, I said it on First Take during the finals, that Kevin Durant was the best player in the world.”

However, he did reiterate that Westbrook took full advantage of the opportunity that was made available when KD left for Golden State, something Perkins acknowledges was “his choice”.

According to Perkins, Westbrook earned the title Mr. Thunder by “continuing to put them guys in the position to be successful every year”.

Perkins points out that KD has mentioned previously that he no longer cares what his former organization is doing, and asked, “what does it matter?” Insisting that he “wasn’t shooting a slug” at Durant and that however KD feels about the situation, “that’s on him.”

Perkins’ explanation of the Twitter beef between him and his former teammate starts at the 3:40 mark.