On this week's episode of BasketballNews.com's "The Posecast," James Posey was joined by guests Kendrick Perkins, Antoine Walker and Etan Thomas to share their thoughts on the Brooklyn Nets acquiring eight-time All-Star and former MVP James Harden.
Perkins, an analyst for ESPN, brought to light one of the reasons why Westbrook demanded a trade from the Houston Rockets this past offseason:
"A lot of people don't know this, but this is why Russ wanted to bounce," Perkins said. "The Rockets didn't want to trade Russ, he requested a trade because of all things that were transpiring last year. Say they would play on a Saturday and they don't play again until Thursday [If they had some days off], James was on a private [jet] to Cabo! On Tilman Fertitta's private [jet] at that! And Russ like, ‘Hold on, I ain’t come here for all this shit.' Russ is coming from Oklahoma City, and Oklahoma City is... [about] the culture and getting your work in and no shortcuts. Russ is sitting there saying, 'Hold on, James, what you doing? I ain't with all of this partying... I came to the H because we're supposed to be on the title chase.'"
Here is the clip below:
.@KendrickPerkins says James Harden's partying led to Russell Westbrook's trade request.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) January 16, 2021
"[If they had some days off], James was on a private [jet] to Cabo! On Tilman Fertitta's private [jet] at that! Russ is like... 'I ain't with all the partying.'"
🎧: https://t.co/QEROFRt8Rj pic.twitter.com/gKh5EMRgTi
Check out the complete conversation about the Harden trade, Kyrie Irving's absence, Brooklyn's Big Three and more: