Barkley blasted ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins by name, calling him “an idiot and a fool” over a comment he made on NBA Today Wednesday about the Lakers “saving the NBA” by trading for Luka Doncic.

During TNT’s NBA Tipoff show ahead of Thursday night’s game between the New York Knicks and Los Angeles Lakers, Barkley took a direct shot at Perkins and ESPN for their coverage of the NBA as a whole.

Charles Barkley called out the media, specifically ESPN's Kendrick Perkins, for focusing on the red-hot Lakers, and Perkins has fired back.

My thing is don’t play with me like that. I am the smoke,” Perkins told me. “I don’t come up with the topics on ESPN and I don’t produce the shows. That’s not my job. My job is to give my

Former NBA players-turned-analysts Charles Barkley and Kendrick Perkins are trading public insults at each other this week.

"Inside the NBA" analyst Charles Barkley had words for colleagues at ESPN for their lack of coverage of the Cleveland Cavs and Oklahoma City Thunder.

Barkley started his rant by saying, “I saw a fool, idiot on TV saying the Lakers saved the NBA. He’s an idiot and a fool but he knows who he is.” Barkley then asked Shaquille O’Neal — celebrating

Charles Barkley, who will be on 'Inside the NBA' on ESPN next season, called ESPN's on-air talent, in particular Kendrick Perkins, 'idiots' for saying the Lakers saved the NBA season.

Former NBA star forward Charles Barkley made waves on Thursday evening after comments he made regarding ESPN went viral. Barkley was appearing on the TNT show, Inside the NBA, and seemed to call out ESPN for their choice of coverage.

"Hey might wanna tell that senior citizen Charles Barkley that I’ll be around. When he see an idiot or fool in person make sure he keep that same energy. He can come playing wit