Kendrick Perkins unloads on Kyrie Irving: ‘You are the distraction’

June 17, 2020

Kyrie Irving has faced a lot of criticism for his ideas about canceling the remainder of the 2019-20 NBA season, but few have been more animated in opposing Irving than Kendrick Perkins.

During an appearance on ESPN’s “Get Up!” Wednesday morning, Perkins ripped Irving for being “confused” and showing poor leadership. Perkins also said it is ironic that Irving thinks continuing the NBA season would take attention away from social justice movements.

‘Kyrie Irving, right now you are the distraction’ – Kendrick Perkins pic.twitter.com/sVethSnYv8

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) June 17, 2020

“Kyrie Irving, right now you are the distraction. You’re distracting the whole situation,” Perkins said. “It’s crazy to me because you come out and do something separately, without talking to your (NBPA) president Chris Paul or consulting with Michele Roberts and go off and do something totally different and get a group of guys together and say, ‘Let’s sit out.’ It makes zero sense and I totally disagree with Kyrie Irving.”

Perkins also said he feels Irving is “confused” and doesn’t know what he wants.

Kendrick Perkins calls Kyrie Irving ‘confused’ and is showing a ‘lack of leadership’ pic.twitter.com/zAeMYl4KKo

— Adam Zagoria (@AdamZagoria) June 17, 2020

Irving, of course, will not be playing again this season because of an injury. Perkins took to Twitter recently to question why Irving suddenly no longer wants there to be an NBA season when not that long ago he was trying to travel to Orlando to support his teammates. Former NBA player Matt Barnes said Tuesday that he was told Irving only wanted the season to be canceled after the NBA informed him he will not be allowed to join the Nets in Orlando.

The drama with Irving is building by the day. A report on Tuesday indicated that Irving, in a group chat with his Nets teammates, suggested the idea of starting a new basketball league. Some Brooklyn players dismissed the report as fake news, but Irving seemed furious that it leaked out.