At first glance, it’s easy to see why Kevin Durant is everyone’s pick to be the upcoming season’s MVP. Coming off a spectacular season in Brooklyn, there’s a good chance he’ll pick up right where he left off — as the best player on the best team in the league.
But in an episode of ‘The Jump,’ Perk argued against KD, making the case for a certain star in Philadelphia instead.
“If you have a Big 3 on your team, you can’t win the MVP award, it’s too hard! I’m going with Joel Embiid. We don’t know what’s gonna happen with Ben Simmons, but the way Joel Embiid finished second last year in the MVP voting. This year, he’s gotta come back on a better mission. I heard he’s in great shape, he signed a big contract extension, meaning he’s fully committed to the organization, and he wants to win.”
.@KendrickPerkins says Joel Embiid will be this season's MVP 👀
"If you have a big three on your team, you cannot win the MVP award." pic.twitter.com/LuffAPHbks
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) September 16, 2021
Embiid was in the MVP race last season before an injury disqualified him from the race. Still, he was dominant when he was on the floor, averaging 28.5 points, 10.6 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks per game on 51% shooting while leading his Sixers to the top seed in the East.
It’s certainly possible that Embiid continues on that tear during this campaign, the only question is whether or not he’ll be able to stay healthy long enough to win.
As for Durant, playing alongside two other superstars definitely hurts his case. Of course, we already know how he feels about the award criteria anyway…
“I really don’t care. I feel the criteria changes every day” said Durant.
It’s really anyone’s guess who will raise the MVP trophy by season’s end. Could it be Embiid? Could it be Durant? Could it be someone else entirely?
Anything is possible right now, but one thing is for sure: Embiid and KD will be right there among the top contenders.
