Former NBA player Kendrick Perkins argued during a television appearance on May 12 that San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama should have been suspended for an elbow incident. Perkins claimed the league is placing viewership numbers and star players above player safety.
“I agree with Draymond Green’s earlier take. Wembanyama should have been suspended for Game 5,” Perkins said.
“As someone who led the league in technical fouls and has been suspended before, I was banned for a minor head bump. But Wembanyama looked his opponent in the eye, aimed, and threw a vicious elbow—a brutal, malicious elbow,” he continued.
“What kind of message does that send to the rest of the league? What Adam Silver and the NBA are telling everyone is this: we prioritize ratings and star players over player health,” Perkins added.
“Draymond hit the nail on the head—if the roles were reversed and Naz Reid had knocked Wembanyama down, he would have been suspended without question.”
