Kendrick Perkins has by no means been refined, and that’s precisely why his takes typically irritate followers. He’s blunt, often unfair, and typically overly dramatic. However he’s additionally a realist, and when he says the Los Angeles Lakers look extra like a group of people than an actual group, there may be smoke value listening to.
Perkins’ “mercenaries” remark was harsh. But the extra the Lakers are watched carefully, the clearer it turns into that what they’ve shouldn’t be a unified group tradition, however a collection of remoted dynamics that don’t absolutely join.
Good chemistry exists however not a shared tradition
There are actual positives contained in the locker room. Luka Dončić and Jaxson Hayes clearly harmonize on and off the court docket. Austin Reaves is universally preferred and trusted. Smaller teams work properly collectively.
The issue is scale. These are pockets of chemistry, not a collective identification. Gamers appear snug inside their very own lanes, however there may be little proof of a shared emotional or aggressive middle that pulls everybody in the identical route.
That distinction issues within the playoffs. Championship groups usually are not simply pleasant or practical. They’re aligned. The Lakers typically look adjoining moderately than united.
When leaders usually are not aligned, the remainder can’t observe
The Luka–LeBron relationship is respectful, however it isn’t intimate. LeBron James and Dončić symbolize completely different generations, completely different journeys, and completely different timelines. Mutual respect exists, however that doesn’t robotically translate into shared management.
Moments like Dončić being invited to Las Vegas with the Backstreet Boys whereas LeBron was nowhere close to the image could seem trivial, however they reveal distance. You do not want to overanalyze it to see that these two stars usually are not absolutely on the identical web page culturally.
When leaders are parallel moderately than synchronized, the remainder of the roster feels it. Gamers take cues not from speeches, however from alignment on the high. Proper now, that alignment is unfastened.
Why Redick can’t power what shouldn’t be there
JJ Redick deserves credit score for making an attempt to impose construction. He desires collective basketball, accountability, and shared duty. However chemistry can’t be commanded.
At occasions, Redick comes throughout as authoritarian, publicly lashing out when gamers drift into particular person play. That method can work for established coaches with deep credibility. For a rookie head coach, it dangers resistance moderately than purchase in.
Respect within the NBA is earned slowly, particularly when star energy outweighs expertise. Redick could finally get there, however proper now he can’t manufacture cohesion just by demanding it.
And that’s the reason Perkins’ take resonates. You may construct chemistry, however you can not power perception. If the leaders usually are not absolutely aligned, and the coach shouldn’t be but absolutely empowered, the construction collapses underneath stress.
This is the reason the Lakers really feel unstable. Not expertise sensible, however culturally. With the commerce deadline approaching, this roster doesn’t really feel like one that can organically repair itself. Extra probably, it breaks aside earlier than it ever really comes collectively.
