Kendrick Perkins Explained Why Joel Embiid is ‘Absolutely’ Sending a Message to Sixers

“Sometimes the truth lies within jokes."

Joel Embiid’s cryptic comments about his future in a Philadelphia 76ers uniform have been labeled by some as trolling, but ESPN’s Kendrick Perkins believes the Sixers need to take Embiid seriously.

The latest drama in Philadelphia stems from comments Embiid made in an interview with Maverick Carter. Embiid said his goal was to win a championship, “whether it’s in Philly or anywhere else.” Naturally, that sparked plenty of conversation about the star’s future in Philadelphia. And while Embiid did attempt to calm speculation by intimating that he was trolling, Perkins said on First Take Tuesday that he thinks there’s truth to Embiid’s comments.

“Absolutely he’s sending a message,” Perkins said. “Sometimes, the truth lies within jokes. The Philadelphia 76ers better take this as a warning because Joel Embiid, like all of us, is growing tired.”

.@KendrickPerkins believes Joel Embiid is sending a message with his recent comments about winning a championship 😳 pic.twitter.com/NVJPVVL21t

— First Take (@FirstTake) July 18, 2023

The 2023 NBA MVP, Embiid faces yet another offseason of turmoil as the Sixers navigate what to do with James Harden, who opted into his contract and requested a trade in late June. With the market for Harden on a one-year deal relatively limited, SI’s Chris Mannix wrote this week that the Sixers should keep their star guard rather than offload him on the cheap. But all the drama surrounding Embiid’s top running mate has the potential to frustrate the Sixers’ star.

“At what point is [Embiid] going to get tired [of the drama]?” Perkins said. “I think right now he’s sending a message.”

Tossing Embiid trade rumors into the already-active NBA offseason rumor mill would be a major story. We’ll see if this is just another example of Embiid’s trolling ways or a sign of trouble in Philadelphia long-term.