“League Got This One Wrong”: Kendrick Perkins Upset Over Jusuf Nurkic Receiving a Shorter Suspension Than Naji Marshall

In the third-quarter brawl on the floor of Footprint Center on Friday, Suns center Jusuf Nurkic got into a fistfight with Mavs’ Naji Marshall and P.J. Washington. All three players were handed suspensions for their actions after the incident. However, former NBA star Kendrick Perkins expressed his disapproval of the league’s penalty on the three players.

Perkins believes that the league was wrong in handing Nurkic a shorter suspension than Marshall. In his assessment of the fight, the Suns center should’ve been the one with the bigger suspension because he was the one who started it.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on X that the NBA has suspended Marshall for four games whereas Nurkic is being suspended for three games only. Perkins quoted tweeted the post, writing, “The league got this one wrong. Nurkic started and swung first.”

The 40-year-old believes that an appropriate verdict for Marshall’s action would’ve been a two-game suspension.

The fight started in the third quarter when Nurkic was called for an offensive foul on Daniel Gafford. On his way back to the other end of the floor, the Suns center heard something and decided to confront the Mavs players. After a brief verbal battle, he slapped Marshall on the side of his head. The Mavs forward responded with a punch, almost landing it on Nurkic.

That’s when Washington joined Marshall to double-team the Suns center and shoved him to the ground. The three players were immediately separated by other players and support staff who rushed to the spot. Going by the footage of the fight, it does seem like Nurkic was the one to make it a physical fight. So, Perkins isn’t entirely wrong in his assessment.

All three players have been fined for their actions

Duane Rankin of azcentral calculated the money the three players will lose because they’ve been ‘suspended without pay.’ Nurkic is slated to lose the most amount of money with $375k. Marshall has to bear a comparatively smaller price for his punch. He will lose $236,453. Both players have received higher penalties for their direct involvement in the altercation.

Washington has been given a one-game suspension which will cost him $89,080. He is only getting a one-game suspension because he had a role in “escalating the on-court altercation.” Losing their cool on the floor has put all three players in a difficult situation. Fortunately, Kyrie Irving has come to the rescue of his two teammates, offering to pay the fine. He said, “I’ll take care of this fine, whoever is watching.”

The NBA veteran said that he understands why Marshall and Washington had to get involved. As per Kyrie, they were looking out for each other which is what good teammates do. So, Kai will do his bit by paying their fine.