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Kendrick Perkins: But yeah, I just had to come on here and address Bill Simmons. Bro—just chill. I get that you’re bitter. But that relationship with you and ESPN? That [__] happened ten years ago, bro. It’s like an ex that just won’t give up—you keep riding by the house every day, and then you send a message saying: ‘Hey, your yard’s not cut.’ Sheesh. That’s not your business anymore. You developed your own platform—The Ringer. You sold it. Good move, man. You did some great things. So move the [__] on. But most importantly—leave me the [__] alone. I don’t bother nobody. I don’t bother you. And I strongly believe—yeah, you’re qualified. I like what you got going on over there. I love Zach Lowe. He’s a good friend of mine. He can speak his opinion. Y’all can voice your opinions. But what y’all not going to do—is gatekeep. It’s gatekeeping. We ain’t doing that.
Kendrick Perkins to Bill Simmons: 'Who the f*ck gave you the keys and said you was the gatekeeper for the game of basketball?'
In the longer, updated retort, Perkins argued Simmons gave his thoughts on the draft coverage because he was simply “bitter” over his departure from ESPN in 2015. “My problem with you is who the f*ck gave you the keys and said you was the gatekeeper for the game of basketball?” Perkins said, addressing Simmons directly. “Just because people don’t speak the way that you don’t want them to speak, doesn’t make it wrong. Just because ESPN don’t cover it the way you would like them to cover the game of basketball or the tweets you would like them to make, don’t make it f*cking wrong. And it’s crazy because, Bill, y’all separated a decade ago. I’m talking about you and ESPN. And you’re coming off bitter, my guy.”
“Let’s not act like you haven’t said some asinine things about the game of basketball, especially when it comes down to the WNBA. Saying that women should play pregnant, man are you out of your damn mind?” Perkins said. “You say some absurd things at times. But guess what, Bill? Nobody cares. Nobody is covering you and policing you to speak on the game the way it needs to be spoken on, brother.”
The former NBA journeyman center growled that Simmons “always got my name in his mouth” before accusing The Sports Guy of having takes infused with alcohol and jealousy. “I don’t know who anointed you the preacher or king or head honcho, overseeing basketball and the way things need to be,” Perkins said in a video on X. “What have you done? What have you done, period, in the game of basketball? Have you ever played?”
While Perkins promised more of a response Sunday on a solo edition of his Road Trippin’ podcast once he finished “doing my research,” he felt he needed to react instantaneously because Simmons was being high and mighty. “It’s kind of pissing me off because you feel like you’re sitting on this throne,” Perkins said. “You got in your feelings.” If Perkins is genuinely asking what Simmons has done, both in his career and for “the game of basketball,” he is sure to get find out during his research. For one, Simmons occupied the exact same analyst role as Perkins for multiple years, covering the NBA Draft for ESPN. Simmons also appeared as a panelist on NBA Countdown —just like Perkins — for two seasons. Simmons also wrote The Book of Basketball, covering the history of the NBA. That book is revered by many in the basketball media, not to mention also by 2025 draft pick Kon Knueppel.
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Perkins even went so far as to suggest that Simmons had downed a few beers before he dared to knock a draft broadcast that is largely disliked. “Man, shut up. You didn’t think before you started drinking them Heinekens,” Perkins said. “And then you got your little peanut gallery on the podcast who just agree with you … man, shut the hell up. The hell you done? I’m gonna get more on your *ss come Sunday, believe that. I’m gonna finish doing my research on you. Enough is enough.”
Bill Simmons: I’m honored that you sat in a car for 2+ minutes to scold me on your iPhone like this, even though we are a combined age of like 92. If you actually think Toronto will be top-6 in the East in anything other than “most fun place to visit” — let’s wager on it ASAP.
Draft prospect Kon Knueppel is a big fan of Bill Simmons
What got you into reading Bill Simmons at such a young age? Knueppel: My mom’s brother Jeff got me The Book of Basketball for Christmas one year. I was like, “This thing is a thousand pages. It’s ridiculous.” I just fell in love. I always loved the history of basketball. But the way he would compare it to pop culture and all that: From then on, me and my dad would always read his columns. We were big fans. We loved listening. My dad loves The Rewatchables podcast. So the movies and sports were all wrapped up in that book. It’s one of my favorites. I’ve read it a lot of times.
Doc Rivers: I don't think Steph Curry would ever leave Golden State and I'm hoping Giannis Antetokounmpo feels the same way
Bill Simmons: You have a superstar on your team that you guys have been just trying to trade for the last month apparently by reports. Giannis Antetokounmpo is on eBay now! Does anyone make an offer? Doc Rivers: It's so ridiculous. And I've heard all these reports, you hear all this stuff but you don't like it when you hear it because you know it's not true, Bill. But still, your players hear it and everybody else hears it. And I remember telling you the story when I was in Boston: I'm on a treadmill working out. That's when I could run still on a treadmill. And they announced that the Boston Celtics are about to trade Rajon Rondo I think to the Lakers. And I was like, ‘What?!’ And it was absurd. Like we had never had any conversations, but Rondo heard it, you know? And so that's the only thing I don't like about all this now. I don't know how many more times Giannis has to say he wants to be a Buck and he wants to win a title with the Bucks and it's so cool to me because it's not the way it's done anymore. But with certain guys, I don't think Steph Curry would ever leave Golden State ever and I'm hoping obviously Giannis feels the same way. That's the way he's been so far and it's been great. It's been awesome.
LeBron James could headline $5 billion global basketball league?
Bill Simmons: And what they’re telling people is that they have a couple of major stars that are going to be joining—ones that will be jaw-dropping. And it’s pretty clear—because Maverick Carter is running this, or is one of the people involved in pushing it—that he's dangling LeBron as one of the people who will do it. Could it be Kevin Durant? My guess is it's probably older, famous superstars nearing the end of their careers, who are just going to do it for a bunch of money—probably equity in the league.
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Bill Simmons: I wouldn't be surprised if Kevin Durant to Spurs is a done deal
Bill Simmons: I wouldn't be surprised if Kevin Durant to the Spurs is done already and they just haven't announced it. Basically, they've agreed on specifics, just announce it on the week of the draft. This goes back to the Giannis thing. I think they trade for KD because it just costs less. They'll be able to be real competitive and maybe go a couple of rounds in the playoffs, but they're also going to keep the No. 2 pick and do it that way, which is my prediction.
At least according to Bill Simmons in the latest episode of his podcast. Simmons mentioned that the Knicks do not play nice with ticket giveaways anymore as part of a broader issue with Silver and the league office. “Knicks is (an) even harder (ticket to get), and then it has the added thing of the Adam Silver-James Dolan, whatever is happening there,” Simmons explained. “And I think the Knicks take as many tickets as possible and give them to whoever they want. And just in general … there’s no ‘I can help you out’ with these Knicks games anymore.”
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