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Kendrick Perkins believes the Los Angeles Lakers should approach the 2026-27 season with championship expectations, although he remains concerned about the roster surrounding Luka Doncic.

Speaking on ESPN’s NBA Today, Perkins pointed to Doncic and the Lakers’ offensive talent as reasons they should remain competitive.

“They still have one of the best offensive players in Luka Doncic,” Perkins said. “They got enough offensive firepower to win games in the regular season.”

Despite that confidence, Perkins still ranks Los Angeles behind Oklahoma City, San Antonio, Denver and Minnesota in the Western Conference.

His concerns largely center on the defensive limitations of Doncic and Austin Reaves.

“Luka and Austin Reaves are your franchise players,” Perkins previously said on Perk Unplugged. “Two guys who are both defensive liabilities.”

Perkins suggested those weaknesses could become particularly problematic during the postseason.

“It ain’t a team in the world, it ain’t a player in the world that’s afraid of Luka and Austin Reaves,” he said. “When the playoffs come around, they’re gonna be looking to get to the seeding where they can actually look at them.”

Still, Perkins believes merely being competitive is not enough for a franchise with the Lakers’ expectations.

“The middle of the pack doesn’t mean nothing to the Laker fan base,” Perkins said. “It’s championship or bust.”

Kendrick Perkins drops wildly ludicrous take on Lakers' 2026 expectations https://t.co/YGXCB1Gge7 pic.twitter.com/aZqVz6wGku