Kendrick Perkins believes the Los Angeles Lakers ought to strategy the 2026-27 season with championship expectations, though he stays involved concerning the roster surrounding Luka Doncic.
Talking on ESPN’s NBA At present, Perkins pointed to Doncic and the Lakers’ offensive expertise as causes they need to stay aggressive.
“They nonetheless have top-of-the-line offensive gamers in Luka Doncic,” Perkins mentioned. “They bought sufficient offensive firepower to win video games within the common season.”
Regardless of that confidence, Perkins nonetheless ranks Los Angeles behind Oklahoma Metropolis, San Antonio, Denver and Minnesota within the Western Convention.
His considerations largely heart on the defensive limitations of Doncic and Austin Reaves.
“Luka and Austin Reaves are your franchise gamers,” Perkins beforehand mentioned on Perk Unplugged. “Two guys who’re each defensive liabilities.”
Perkins advised these weaknesses might turn out to be notably problematic in the course of the postseason.
“It ain’t a workforce on the earth, it ain’t a participant on the earth that’s afraid of Luka and Austin Reaves,” he mentioned. “When the playoffs come round, they’re gonna be seeking to get to the seeding the place they’ll really take a look at them.”
Nonetheless, Perkins believes merely being aggressive shouldn’t be sufficient for a franchise with the Lakers’ expectations.
“The center of the pack doesn’t imply nothing to the Laker fan base,” Perkins mentioned. “It’s championship or bust.”
Kendrick Perkins drops wildly ludicrous tackle Lakers’ 2026 expectations https://t.co/YGXCB1Gge7 pic.twitter.com/aZqVz6wGku
— New York Put up (@nypost) August 13, 2026
