Kendrick Perkins Urges Lakers to Consider Trading Austin Reaves as a Potential Max Deal Nears

After a hot start to the 2025–26 season, the Lakers appear to be skidding, having lost three straight games. Defensive lapses, uneven scoring, and poor late game execution have all contributed to the slump, and if the Lakers truly want to compete for a championship, difficult decisions will have to be made. According to Kendrick Perkins, that means trading away one of their best players this season, Austin Reaves.

With the trade deadline looming, it is almost a now or never moment for the Lakers. One thing is certain, the front office has never shied away from making major moves in the middle of a season. Just under a year ago, they shockingly managed to bring Luka Doncic on board.

Now, Perkins believes they may have to move the needle again by shipping Reavesout. He explained this tough call by pointing to the one flaw about the Lakers that the entire league is well aware of, their lack of athleticism.

“The Lakers need athleticism. We know that. The Spurs exposed that. Any team that got athletic wings at guards, that is going to push the pace, they’re going to beat the Lakers,” Perkins said on the Road Trippin podcast.

The Spurs put a beating on the Lakers last Wednesday, cruising to a 107–91 win. It was one of those games where the outcome was never in doubt. Against elite teams, they’re visibly struggling.

“If I’m the Lakers, I got to make a business decision here shortly. And that business decision is Austin Reaves. Y’all know how much I love Austin Reaves. I picked him to be a first-time All-Star,”explained Perkins, before pointing out that Reaves will be eligible for a max extension at the end of 25/26, and could put pen to paper on a contract worth north of $200 million.

“Do you want to give Austin Reaves max dollars this offseason and him and Luka tie up the majority of the money? And do you trust that you can build around those two guys and those two guys are going to bring you a championship in the future?” he asked.

It would be baffling for the Lakers to move on from Reaves, who has been one of the biggest breakouts of the season. However, Perkins does raise a valid question. Can this team survive the competitive Western Conference postseason with just Reaves and Doncic running the show? That is, of course, assuming LeBron James is done in Los Angeles after this year.

That is the uncomfortable crossroads the Lakers are approaching, whether fans want to admit it or not. Reaves has become a fan favorite and a symbol of internal development, but sentiment cannot outweigh roster reality in a league that is getting younger, faster, and more physical with each passing year.

If the Lakers truly believe Doncic is the long term engine of the franchise, then every major decision has to be made through that lens. That includes the painful ones. Standing still might feel safer, but in this case, it could be the bigger gamble than making a move that reshapes the roster’s athletic ceiling before it is too late.

The post Kendrick Perkins Urges Lakers to Consider Trading Austin Reaves as a Potential Max Deal Nears appeared first on The SportsRush.