Praise or criticism, leave it to Kendrick Perkins to be straight to the point. For JJ Redick, however, he had a bit of both in his recent comments over Dalton Knecht’s return to the LA Lakers’ starting line-up. Redick’s decision came after the team’s frustrating road loss to the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night. And by Wednesday, Knecht was back in the starting five for the road game against the San Antonio Spurs. Perk had appreciation for Reddick’s move, but not so much for the head coach himself.

“JJ finally used his common sense tonight I see. Leave Dalton Knecht in the damn starting lineup. I guess common sense ain’t that common no more,” Perkins wrote. Well, the move seemed overdue. With this, the Lakers rookie has now replaced Cam Reddish, joining LeBron James, Anthony Davis, Austin Reaves, and Rui Hachimura. This lineup tweak, however, wasn’t just a shot in the dark.

If anything, it feels like a return to a formula that has already proven successful. Remember Knecht’s stretch from November 15 to 21? The rookie was on fire, averaging 23.8 points on an insane 60.3% shooting, including 57.6% from beyond the arc. With him as a starter, the Lakers went 3-1, and their offense had a spark.

So why change what’s working, right? Yet, when Rui Hachimura returned from a sprained ankle, Knecht was sent to the bench, and his production noticeably dipped. Even Redick seemed to acknowledge the misstep. Speaking after Tuesday’s game, he admitted, “Maybe there is something to the flow that he can get to and the rhythm that he can get to if he’s a starter.”

By leaning into Knecht’s offensive rhythm, the Lakers might have rediscovered a crucial piece of their puzzle. So, Kendrick Perkins’ opinion of the move is not wrong, but not everyone is a fan of how he conveys things. “You know you don’t have to sound like a arrogant a**hole everytime u speak right,” one user replied to Perk’s X post. However, it’s not as if the former Boston Celtics star does not give the stars their flowers when it’s due.

“The MF that’s making that engine run”: Kendrick Perkins’ heavy praise for JJ Redick

Yep, Perkins was among the first ones to tip his hat to Redick for the Lakers’ head coach’s early success with the team. The Lakers started the season strong at home, lighting up the court like the title contenders they’re expected to be. Then came the dreaded road trip—a bump in the road that saw them lose their spark. But Perk really loved JJ’s approach with the team during the time.

“JJ f**ing Redick, let me give him a whole lot of props,” Perkins said. “They get their a* busted on the road, and he called out his team publicly about not playing hard… They come back home, they go on a win streak,” he added.

It’s the kind of tough love you’d expect from a coach or a captain, but Redick’s blunt honesty clearly struck a chord. Perkins even took to X to add “Yes, AD and Bron are playing on a different level, but the MF that’s making that engine run is JJ ‘MF’ Redick!!!” So whether it be praise or criticism, you can count on the former Boston Celtics star.