The classic Kevin Durant is making a comeback. Following the closure of the NBA trade deadline, the Phoenix Suns star got right back to business. Recently, he found himself in a heated debate with his former teammate Kendrick Perkins.
During a segment on ESPN’s NBA Today, Perkins made some audacious claims regarding his position during the 2012 Oklahoma City Thunder’s NBA Finals run. The former Thunder center insisted that he was the actual leader of the team during its peak, alongside teammate Nick Collison.
Enter Kevin Durant, a 15-time All-Star credited with elevating the Thunder to greatness. Durant quickly responded to Perkins via social media, expressing his skepticism about the comment. “I know this may be a reach, but this comment is by far the craziest sh*t I’ve seen this week,” Durant retweeted.
I know this may be a reach but this comment is by far the craziest shit I’ve seen this week https://t.co/kNbncZhIUH
— Kevin Durant (@KDTrey5) February 6, 2025
Durant spent his first nine seasons with the Thunder, clinching an MVP award in 2014 and guiding the franchise to the NBA Finals in 2012. He consistently led the team in scoring during his tenure, demonstrating his dominance on the court, making him an indispensable player. While Perkins was a significant presence both on the court and in the locker room, his role was primarily supportive.
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Kendrick Perkins Openly Blamed Kevin Durant For Suns’ Struggles
The Phoenix Suns are facing challenges this season, evident in their recent performances. While Durant is not solely responsible, Kendrick Perkins has expressed a differing view. Perkins has been vocal in asserting that Durant’s perceived lack of leadership has played a role in the team’s difficulties this season.
“The real story is another organization, another failure for Kevin Durant. You[KD] get a new coach. You fired Frank Vogel last year, you’ve got Mike Budenholzer, who’s a championship coach. You add the pieces and here you are,” Perkins remarked on NBA Today.
As the team struggles in 10th place in the Western Conference, Perkins highlighted missed opportunities leading up to the trade deadline. Notably, he pointed out Durant’s refusal to entertain a trade back to the Golden State Warriors.
“Another organization and another failure for Kevin Durant since leaving Golden State. He was a failure with the Brooklyn Nets and a failure now. There’s no way that you have Devin Booker, Bradley Beal on the same team and your team is at .500 and you have all this turmoil,” he added.
The 2008 NBA champion contended that with stars like Devin Booker and Bradley Beal on the roster, the Suns should not be languishing at a .500 record. He stressed that despite the concentrated talent around Durant, his inability to lead the team has resulted in another disappointing chapter in his career.
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