Kendrick Perkins Defends Knicks' Jalen Brunson From Stephen A. Smith

Stephen A. Smith has been in full meltdown mode over the Knicks lately, and his latest take put Jalen Brunson right in the crosshairs. Now, someone is pushing back hard.

In a post shared by First Take on X, ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins went straight at Stephen A. after Smith publicly blamed Brunson for the Knicks' title shortcomings. Perkins was not subtle about it.

"Brunson and the word 'blame' should never be in the same sentence," he said. "And I'm very disappointed in you SA [Smith] for the simple fact that if you're going to blame Jalen Brunson for having one ask and that was to go get Mikal Bridges, then shame on you. Because this is the same guy that took a pay cut in order to get this squad to win, need to be legit title contenders."

"Brunson and the word 'blame' should never be in the same sentence."

— @KendrickPerkins is "very" disappointed in @stephenasmith ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/KLcFMabdBv
— First Take (@FirstTake) March 17, 2026

To understand why Smith went there, you need the backstory. Brunson signed a four-year, $156.5 million extension in 2024, roughly $113 million less than he could have earned a year later. The Knicks used that flexibility to trade for Bridges, and Smith's argument is that Brunson has to own that outcome now that Bridges is struggling.

Perkins is not buying it. But he is not letting Bridges off the hook either.

"He didn't know that Mikal Bridges was going to come here and be this version of Mikal Bridges. Let's not act like we didn't see a version of Mikal Bridges that we fell in love with when he was with the Phoenix Suns," he said.

"He do need to up his level of play because he has been a disappointment this season. But when you think about their roster, they still check all the boxes. It's never about the roster. It's about can Mike Brown max those guys out and they bring the level of intensity every single night," he added.

Kendrick Perkins Defends Brunson But the Knicks Still Have a Problem

Perkins is right that Brunson should not be the target here. He is averaging 26.3 points and 6.6 assists, has taken a pay cut for this team, and has carried New York night after night as a three-time All-Star. Pinning the Bridges situation on him is a stretch.

But the broader frustration is not baseless. Brunson has left real points on the table in games where he had every reason to take over. Earlier this month against a shorthanded Pacers team, he had a wide-open chance to go for 40-plus and settled for 29 on shaky efficiency. He is better than that, and the playoffs will not offer the same kind of gift.

Perkins still believes in this team's ceiling, though.

"I wouldn't be surprised if we look up in June and they're sitting there in the NBA finals," he said. "I believe that Mikal Bridges is a guy that got experience that could hold himself accountable. He got to level up, especially playing in the Big Apple. But at the end of the day, we can't ever, ever fix our mouth to blame Jalen Brunson for nothing."

The Knicks are 44-25 and sitting third in the East. Whether Bridges turns it around and whether Brunson seizes his moments when the stakes are highest is still the real question heading into the stretch run.

In their next game against the Pacers, Brunson is listed as doubtful with right ankle management and a neck strain. New York is 1-4 without him this season. With the playoffs weeks away, keeping him healthy matters more than any individual game.

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