ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins is calling for an investigation into Oklahoma City Thunder GM Sam Presti. After watching the Thunder defeat the San Antonio Spurs on Tuesday, Perkins is in awe of how deep Oklahoma City's roster is despite losing three rotation players over the summer.

Whether in jest or not, Perkins called out Presti during ESPN's NBA Today.

“Sam Presti needs to be investigated, because it has to be a crime what he is doing and how he is running circles around the rest of the GMs around the league,” Perkins said. “How the hell do you lose three key guys — Isaiah Joe, Aaron Wiggins, and Lu Dort — and you come in, and you still, after Game one, have the deepest roster in the NBA. The depth is there.”

During the rebuilding years that led to acquiring two-time MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ahead of his second NBA season, Thunder GM Sam Presti turned those draft picks, and others, into high-caliber players, such as Jalen Williams in 2022 and Aday Mara in this year's draft.

Presti and the Thunder also moved up in the 2023 draft to select Cason Wallace with the 10th pick, using assets to select an ideal guard for the future. This came after they used their own pick to select All-Star Chet Holmgren with the No. 2 pick in the same draft as Williams, who went with the No. 12 pick.

As part of the famous Paul George trade with the LA Clippers that landed the Thunder SGA, Presti drafted a future All-NBA forward in Williams. Then he used future picks to trade to the Philadelphia 76ers for Jared McCain, a prospect Oklahoma City had eyes on during the 2024 draft.

Kendrick Perkins, while on the topic of the Thunder's impressive 116-104 win against the Spurs, says Gilgeous-Alexander responded to the NBA's new emphasis on offensive fouls via a push-off on the basketball court, taking it personally ahead of a 32-point performance.

“You know why Shai had those emotions yesterday? It wasn't just because they were playing against the San Antonio Spurs,” Perkins added. “Who's the most scrutinized player last year in the playoffs? It was SGA because of his flopping. Then, all of a sudden, Adam Silver and the NBA come out, and they put in a rule of what? The push-off. We know they were talking to SGA. He had it on his mind. He went out there and took it out on the San Antonio Spurs in good fashion. That was a message to the NBA and Adam Silver.”

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Gilgeous-Alexander went 13-for-27, including three triples in an efficient scoring performance. It marked the third consecutive season opener in which he finished with 30+ points. He also had six rebounds, four assists, three steals, and three blocks in the Thunder's 12-point victory.