The Los Angeles Lakers have opted to build their franchise’s future around Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves. However, former NBA champion Kendrick Perkins believes that their defensive struggles could leave the Lakers vulnerable when the playoffs come around next season.
Former NBA Champion Hits Out at Star Lakers Duo Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves
The Lakers, who signed Dončić in a blockbuster trade with the Dallas Mavericks in 2025, moved to offer Reaves a four-year, $185 million maximum contract to form their backcourt pairing for the foreseeable future.
Both Dončić and Reaves are known for their potent offensive skills; some in the NBA world are worried that their defensive vulnerabilities could come back to haunt the Lakers in crunch time.
Perkins, who won the NBA championship with the Boston Celtics in 2008, has blasted the Lakers for building their roster around Dončić and Reaves.
“Luka and Austin Reaves are your franchise players… You’re basically telling us that we have the belief Austin and Luka are going to get us to the top in a tough Western Conference. Two guys that are both defensive liabilities.”
“It ain’t a player or team in the world that’s afraid of Luka and Austin Reaves. When the playoffs come around, they are gonna be looking to get to the seeding where they can actually look at them,” Perkins said on “Perk Unplugged.”
Perkins also criticized Dončić amid claims that he requested the Lakers sign an “A-List center” to maximize his playmaking and help them compete against the elite big men in the Western Conference.
“Luka talking about he wants an A-list center. There’s no A-list center out there. There ain’t nobody out there you can go and get that’s going to match up with Wemby, that’s going to be able to go against those twin towers in Oklahoma. It’s not one,” he added.
It will be interesting to see what moves the Lakers make to further bolster their roster this offseason. There are still several question marks facing the storied franchise as they look to piece together their roster.
The future of LeBron James could be next up on the agenda, with the NBA legend set to become an unrestricted free agent. Reports have linked James to moves to the Miami Heat and the Cleveland Cavaliers in recent days, and the Lakers will be keen to resolve his future in the coming weeks.
