Kendrick Perkins doesn’t hold back. The ESPN NBA analyst is paid big bucks to express his thoughts, which sometimes leads to backlash. Recently, after announcing on social media that he had completed his NBA awards ballot for the 2024-25 season, SiriusXM NBA Radio host Justin Termine had receipts ready.
Termine shared a clip from his show NBA Today from the previous year featuring Perkins, who claimed he was done voting due to the difficulty in determining standards and formulas. “I’m not,” Perkins remarked in 2024 when asked if he would use a ballot again, highlighting past struggles where he voted for Rudy Gobert over Anthony Davis for Defensive Player of the Year, admitting he was “caught up in the analytics.”
My guy—- here’s audio of you telling us last year you weren’t going to vote this year.
What happened? https://t.co/nWeZWaoCEB pic.twitter.com/6ZDTnmTaLj
— Justin Termine (@TermineRadio) April 15, 2025
In his post on X, Perkins selected Oklahoma City Thunder wing Luguentz Dort as his Defensive Player of the Year this season, indicating it aligned with his moral compass, allowing him to feel justified in his voting choice. However, Perkins has become a frequent target among NBA media for his bold statements. From his appearances on NBA Today, NBA Countdown, to his Road Trippin’ podcast and other local radio shows, he likely struggles to keep track of his opinions and promises.
Although Termine’s post had a playful tone, it also hinted at some irritation with Perkins from his peers. While Charles Barkley has perhaps gone too far in his feud with Perkins, certain members of the NBA media seem eager for Perkins to adopt a more reasonable approach and enjoy holding him accountable when opportunities arise.
