After a brilliant start, the Los Angeles Lakers ' momentum has stalled. Having lost three straight games, including a horrific 119-96 defeat at the hands of the visiting Houston Rockets on Christmas Day, the Lakers' head coach, JJ Redick , had had enough and called his team out for their glaring lack of effort and professionalism.
Redick told the media after the game that players should expect an "uncomfortable" practice on Saturday, with egos likely to be bruised. While this could motivate the Lakers, former NBA champion and ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins warned Redick not to push too hard, as it could harm team chemistry.
As someone who played 14 seasons in the Association, Perkins is well-versed in the various tactics that coaches use to motivate their players. He understands that sometimes, tough love and calling out guys can be effective in lighting a fire under them. However, he also knows that it's a delicate balance and that too much criticism can have detrimental effects.
Perkins added that sometimes, a little introspection can go a long way. So instead of throwing players under the bus, he suggests that Redick should take a step back and assess his own performance.
"JJ Redick — everybody find it cute and funny when he goes on these rants and publicly calls out his team, but JJ Redick got to do better as well. It's always everybody else's fault, but not JJ Redick. That's a problem for me," he said .
It's bad enough that the Lakers have lost three straight and six of their last 10 games, but the way they have lost their last three games is particularly alarming. After losing to the Los Angeles Clippers by 15, they were then blown out by 24 points by the Phoenix Suns .
Perkins assessed that the Lakers' lack of effort could be a sign that Redick has lost control of the locker room.
"He talking about his team not being consistent, not playing hard, not doing the little things. Well, guess what? That's a reflection on the coach," he said. "When your team is not responding and your team is not putting the effort that's needed to compete at a high level, that means they are not listening to the coach, and the respect level is not there."
Perkins clarified that the Lakers players are all complicit in the downward spiral the team is in.
Luka Doncic committed six turnovers, while LeBron James didn't appear engaged against the Rockets. However, Perkins emphasized that Redick must also step up in terms of leadership.
"Do Luka Doncic have to be better? Can he stop complaining to the refs like he did all night long? Absolutely. Can LeBron James fix his damn body language and act like he's engaged in the game of basketball? Absolutely," he conveyed. "But JJ Redick, you could be better as well. Why are your guys not responding to you?"
Again, hearing about a situation like this isn't new to Perkins. He knows what Redick is trying to do. However, there's a fine line between trying to motivate and setting the entire locker room on fire just to prove a point; it's a line Redick is toeing at the moment.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Dec 26, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
