Former NBA Champion Kendrick Perkins feels the seven-year relationship between LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers has run its course.
Perkins came to that conclusion after observing the body language of James, his former teammate, during Thursday’s Christmas Day loss to the Houston Rockets.
“LeBron James and the Lakers, their relationship has run its course,” Perkins told ESPN’s “First Take” on Friday. “And they need to figure out a solution. And the solution is him not being in a Los Angeles Lakers uniform.”
Perkins cited Rich Paul’s recent comments — James’ agent said the Lakers are not title contenders — as a sign of James’ unhappiness with the Lakers.
“LeBron has been to 10-15 NBA Finals. He knows when a roster is not good enough. Rich Paul, his agent, just said the Lakers are not title contenders. If Rich Paul is saying it, they both feel that way.”
LeBron James Unhappy?
James didn’t resemble his usual self in Thursday’s loss to the Rockets. Many analysts highlighted how he missed several defensive rotations, allowed his Rockets matchups to pound him on the glass and wasn’t quick enough in guarding closeouts.
Unfairly or not, a 40-year-old copped a lot of blame for his team getting destroyed on the interior by the Rockets, who scored 68 points in the paint and out-rebounded the Lakers 48-25, including 17 offensive boards. Those second-chances led to 24 points.
To Perkins, James looked like he had checked out.
“Watching that game last night — and I was a teammate of LeBron James and grew up playing with him in AAU — I know this man. When he’s not engaged, or if he feels some type of way, it speaks in his body language,” Pekins said of James.
“And last night, his body language was awful. He was not engaged. He was pouting, moping and walking up and down the damn floor, and he was complaining.”
Rift Between LeBron and Redick?
Perkins also insinuated that Lakers head coach JJ Redick didn’t look in the best of terms during Thursday’s loss, citing that Redick’s recent trend of blasting his players in news conferences only started after James’ return from sciatica.
“He wasn’t having these conversations earlier in the season when LeBron James was out,” Perkins said of Redick.
Some analysts speculated that Redick was referring to James when he targeted certain players in his postgame news conference.
“It’s a matter of making the choice, and too often we have guys won don’t wanna make that choice,” Redick said of the Lakers’ defensive struggles.
“And it’s pretty consistent who those guys are.”
The second-year head coach also prepared his players for an “uncomfortable meeting” on Saturday, where he plans to give them a dressing down.
“Saturday’s practice — I told the guys — it’s going to be uncomfortable,” Redick said. “The meeting is going to be uncomfortable. I’m not doing another 53 games like this.”
James, on an expiring $52.6M contract, owns a no-trade clause and would have to approve any potential trades. And even if the 4-time NBA champion plays out the season, there’s a strong possibility he won’t be a Laker next year, per several insiders.
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