Report: Kendrick Perkins Told Russell Westbrook He’s No Rajon Rondo


After Kendrick Perkins was traded from the Celtics to the Thunder, many wondered why it didn’t seem like Perkins was fitting in well with his new squad. Well, according to the NY Daily News, Perk wasn’t happy with the move at all, and even went as far as to criticize his new point guard, comparing him not-so-favorably to his previous point man in Boston: “Even after going all the way to the Western Conference finals last June, the Thunder faces some big internal issues if and when we have a season. As much as coach Scott Brooks chafes at GM Sam Presti’s meddling, his presence in the locker room, and his demands that the Thunder continue to improve from within, the organization is a lot more concerned with how Kendrick Perkins treats Russell Westbrook. After arriving from the Celtics last season and being looked at as the veteran leader Oklahoma City needed to take the next step to compete for a title, Perkins went hard at Westbrook with his verbal criticisms, often saying that the Thunder’s playmaker couldn’t match Rajon Rondo as a playmaker. Those words didn’t sit well with Westbrook, who already had been criticized for shooting too much and was the subject of a benching heard-round-the-NBA when the Thunder played the Mavs in June. The Thunder gave Perkins a new four-year deal worth $35 million, so the team is committed to him. But it would like him to ease up on Westbrook. A lot.”