Kendrick Perkins backed up Stephen A. Smith's story of how his former teammate, Kevin Durant, left the Oklahoma City Thunder. The now-retired veteran has been a persistent face on ESPN, yet this might be his biggest contribution to the network — being a quotable source who can verify Smith's bold claims of Durant's covert exit:
“Stephen A. didn't tell no lies,” said Perk. “I didn't get a chance to watch ‘First Take' because I was flying yesterday morning, but Stephen A. Smith didn't tell any lies. I don't know how KD handled leaving Golden State … but I know that's how it went down [in OKC] from my understanding. Also, when he left OKC … you know people change their mind, so overnight he could've changed his mind or whatever the case may be . But Stephen A. Smith is right, we owe Russell Westbrook an apology … he was getting killed for being the main reason why Kevin Durant left OKC and that was never the case in the first place.”
"Stephen A. Smith didn't tell any lies."
—@KendrickPerkins on @stephenasmith's story of how KD left OKC pic.twitter.com/fYcaAKX2W5
— First Take (@FirstTake) July 4, 2019
During Wednesday's edition of “First Take,” Smith said Durant had dinner with Russell Westbrook, Nick Collison and (maybe) Royal Ivey the night before departing for The Hamptons to talk to Golden State, telling his would-be former teammates that he intended to return to the Thunder. A day later, Durant committed to the Warriors on a one-and-one deal.
Smith later said Durant reached out to him to tell him that story was “BS” and to check his sources. Smith conveyed the message, but stood by his reporting, saying that if it is indeed a lie, there are people who are lying on Durant.
Perkins was asked one more time to verify Smith's reporting, which he swiftly did:
“Yes, he was telling the truth,” said Perkins. “That's what happened when he left OKC. Before he left, he had a meeting with Nick Collison, Royal Ivey and Russell Westbrook and he told them he wasn't leaving. Then he changed his mind and left. That's what left a sour taste in Russell Westbrook's mouth — he texted him and didn't call him.
“From my understanding it was just basically a text that said, ‘Hey, I'm leaving bro.' It was nothing more and nothing less and I think he owed Russ more than that.”
It seems like the debate has been settled, now that there's a face and a name who can back up Smith's sources.
For what it's worth, Perkins has been fair to Durant in the past when he was lambasted for his exit. But it seems he still is disappointed in the way he left town, as many others were during the summer of 2016.
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