The Los Angeles Lakers are sitting at 22-11 and in third place in the Western Conference as the halfway point of the 2025-26 season approaches, but the team has also been playing mediocre basketball as of late.
The Lakers are 3-4 in their last seven games, and former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins thinks head coach JJ Redick might need to change his approach to reconnect with his team as the dog days of winter approach.
Kendrick Perkins Thinks Lakers Coach JJ Redick’s Philosophy Is Falling on Deaf Ears
JJ Redick was praised for leading the Lakers to the playoffs last season, but former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins believes the second-year coach is losing traction with his role players.
“To me, he has lost the ears of the locker room,” Perkins said Monday on “NBA Today.” “And I’m not talking about LeBron, because we know him and LeBron are always going to be on the same page. Obviously, we’re not talking about Luka, as well . . . but why are the other guys not listening to you?”
“[JJ Redick] has lost the ears of the locker room. … Why are the other guys not listening to you, your role players?”@kendrickperkins analyzes the Lakers’ issues ✍️ pic.twitter.com/ffUDnUAV1L
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 5, 2026
“Deandre Ayton, think about it, his tone has changed. I remember at the beginning of the season when people were asking him questions about his offensive production, and he said ‘I’m trying to be a better defender’ . . . Now the energy has changed to ‘he wants the ball, and he can’t feed himself.'”
After a four-point, six-rebound performance against the Memphis Grizzlies on Jan. 2, Ayton was more effective in a victory against the same team on Sunday. Ayton finished with 15 points and eight rebounds in the win. If he can continue producing around those numbers in the coming games, the Lakers should be on track to remain in the upper tier of the Western Conference standings.
Over their last 15 games, in which they went 8-7, the Lakers ranked second-worst in defensive rating. During that span, they posted a minus-4.9 net rating, the lowest among playoff-positioned teams and sixth worst in the league.
Much of the problem lies in their depth. The Lakers average a league-low 25.3 points per game from the bench, more than five points fewer than the second-worst Los Angeles Clippers. Redick’s leadership and his plans to improve the bench’s performance will be under scrutiny in the coming games as the Lakers approach the trade deadline.
