Former NBA champion and current analyst Kendrick Perkins thinks that the Los Angeles Lakers players, outside of LeBron James and Anthony Davis, are not that good, which is why the team struggles when missing one of their stars.
Perkins specifically mentioned Andre Drummond as a player from whom he expected more when he signed with the defending NBA champions.
“One, the obvious, the importance of Anthony Davis and LeBron James. But two, the others are not that good,” Perkins said on ESPN’s The Jump when asked what he learned from a blowout loss to the Clippers.
“I know that this team was built around LeBron James and Anthony Davis. But Andre Drummond went on a worldwide tour once he got bought out. Went visiting and taking phone calls and doing all of that. And I expected more out of him.
“I’m expecting more out of him and he’s not lived up to it. I’m expecting to see Andre Drummond to go out there and be that guy, to go out there and get you 15 and 15 a night along with 3 blocks and he’s not doing it.”
Another player that Perkins singled out was Kyle Kuzma who, according to him, is not bringing his best game when James is out.
“I would expect Kyle Kuzma this is your opportunity to elevate your game right now and show the world that ‘Hey, I am a guy that you could mention when you start mentioning these young guys around the league without LeBron James being there so,” Perkins said.
“When I look at the Laker roster, I’m looking at Markieff Morris and I’m looking at Caldwell-Pope. And I’m looking at these guys and I’m like, I understand that y’all don’t have y’all top dogs but you at least got to show some type of fight. You at least got to show something that you belong.”
