Kendrick Perkins Criticizes 76ers' Joel Embiid for Orlando Bubble Concerns

The 2019-2020 NBA season hasn't even resumed yet at this point, and Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is already catching heat for some of his comments.

After spending multiple months nearly silent during the NBA's suspension, Embiid spoke to the media for the first time this week, just days away from the team's travel date to the NBA bubble in Orlando, Florida.

While Embiid has every intention to travel with the Sixers to get in on the action going on in the bubble, the 76ers' big man isn't too thrilled with the NBA's plan. "I'm not a big fan of the idea," Embiid claimed earlier this week.

"Then again, I'm going to do my job," he continued. "I'm not going to let the city down. I'm going to go represent my city -- that's what I've always done -- my family and my teammates. So you just gotta, the mindset doesn't change."

Embiid's resistance towards the idea of playing the remainder of the season in a bubble with a global pandemic going on rubbed a TV personality and former player the wrong way. "Do you wanna hoop or not?" Former NBA big man Kendrick Perkins asked on First Take this week.

Kendrick Perkins goes off on Joel Embiid for his fear of catching COVID-19 in the NBA bubble. Does Perkins have a point? (Via @FirstTake) pic.twitter.com/zml57E0NI1
— Andscape (@andscape) July 8, 2020

"I don't hear none of the other contenders complaining! To me, this is just an excuse. When they get knocked out, this is going to be the excuse because their superstar (Joel Embiid) was halfway in -- his mental wasn't there."

Of course, Kendrick Perkins' recent rant towards Embiid was met with criticism. As he name-dropped several NBA superstars who will join the NBA's restart without a complaint or a verbal concern, Perkins believes Embiid is just making excuses and being soft.

However, it's likely Embiid is far from the only player that's joining the bubble with doubts or concerns in his head. Embiid has made valid points as to why the bubble idea could fail. Regardless of how he feels, though, the Sixers big man mentioned he's still in it to win it with his team and will travel with the Sixers on July 9th.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_