Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’re familiar with the latest string of jabs between Kevin Durant and his former OKC teammate Kendrick Perkins.
It all started with a tweet by Perk, in which he named Russell Westbrook as the best player to ever wear a Thunder jersey.
In about 30 minutes I’m going to give my opinion on @SportsCenter on why Believe that Russell Westbrook is the best player to have ever put on a Oklahoma City Thunder Jersey!!! He is MR. THUNDER!!!
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) January 9, 2020
Needless to say, it’s an extremely controversial take that not everyone was sold on. Perkins continued to defend his position in a series of tweets.
He put together the best career within that organization, but he’s definitely not the best player to have ever put on a jersey for them. Cmon Perk!
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) January 9, 2020
Hey Kevin left the door open and Russ walked right in
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) January 9, 2020
I think Russ walked right into the door called “Second Round of the Playoffs” – THREE STRAIGHT TIMES!
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) January 9, 2020
KD lost in the second round without Russ when I was there. So what that mean?
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) January 9, 2020
Kevin Durant eventually chimed in, with some rather hostile comments aimed at the former Thunder big man. It went back and forth for a while.
Yea and our starting center @KendrickPerkins averaged a whopping 2 and 3 during that series. U played hard tho champ lol
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) January 10, 2020
Boy stop you did the weakest move in NBA History!!! Up on a team 3-1 in the western conference finals and then go join them the following season?! Heart of Champion right there
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) January 10, 2020
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) January 10, 2020
Weak is starting at center, playing real minutes with no production. Should’ve worked on your skills as much as I did
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) January 10, 2020
That’s fine!!! You worked that hard and still had to go join a 73-9 team. Truth be told you don’t even feel like a real Champ, you have hard time sleeping at night huh knowing that you took the coward way out!!!
— Kendrick Perkins (@KendrickPerkins) January 10, 2020
Perk later followed up with some comments on the air of ESPN’s The Jump.
. @KendrickPerkins spitting molten-hot lava to KD, “Listen brother, before I got to OKC, ya’ll never got past the first round. That’s the reason OKC traded for me, y’all needed that enforcer inside.” pic.twitter.com/JkuwCYgj47
— Carson Cunningham (@Carson_OKC) January 10, 2020
The whole ordeal became a talking point for a while, but not everyone was impressed. Thunder center Steven Adams offered that both sides must have just been “bored.”
Reporter: 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?”Reporter: 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?”Reporter: 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.”
Here was Steven Adams on the KD/Perk beef today.
Adams called them bored. I then suggested the KD/Perk beef was interesting, to which Adams said it wasn't, but current American politics was interesting. pic.twitter.com/8rzNh3vgIW
— Erik Horne (@ErikkHorne) January 10, 2020
With both players currently out of the NBA, Adams’ theory certainly holds some weight. Had either of them been on the court, who knows if this altercation would have even happened?
But when it comes to Kevin Durant, his departure from OKC will seemingly never be forgotten. When talking about his legacy, the “weakest move in NBA history” will always be part of the conversation.
It’s just something Durant will have to get used to at this point.
