Lakers Luka Doncic Faces Criticism as Trust Issues Follow Him Into the Next Season
The Los Angeles Lakers just got swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round, and their franchise player wasn't available for a single playoff game. That's the kind of thing that doesn't just go away in the offseason, and the questions around Luka Doncic are only getting louder.
On First Take, via @TheDunkCentral on X, Kendrick Perkins was asked whether the Lakers should prioritize LeBron James or Luka Doncic this offseason. He didn't hesitate.
"This is easy, it's a no-brainer. Doing right by LeBron James. And here's why. Because when it matters the most, when it's time for those 16 games, the playoffs that I'm talking about, you best to believe that LeBron James is going to be available. You best to believe that LeBron James is going to be healthy. I can't say the same thing about Luka Doncic."
That's a strong thing to say about a guy who averaged 33.5 points, 8.3 assists, and 7.7 rebounds this regular season. But Perkins wasn't done.
"Luka Doncic, for the last three years, it's been something come postseason time, whether it's been out of shape or him dealing with some type of injuries and most majority of the time, it comes to soft tissue injuries. So if you're the Lakers, you have a concern there because when you could get through the regular season and Luka is a fantastic talent. We're not going to take that away from him. One of the best scorers that this game has ever seen."
"Luka is starting to get in that territory of Joel Embiid. When you need him the most, and it comes postseason time, he's not available."
- NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 14, 2026
- Kendrick Perkins
(Via @FirstTake )
pic.twitter.com/1Xd6Rkektz
Kendrick Perkins Compares Luka Doncic to Joel Embiid After 2026 Playoffs Absence
The injury pattern Perkins is pointing to is real. This year it was a Grade 2 hamstring strain suffered in early April, which wiped out the final stretch of the regular season and all of the playoffs. It was actually the second time Doncic hurt the same hamstring during the 2025-26 season.
The year before, he left a first-round game against the Minnesota Timberwolves with a back issue. The year before that, he was battling through a knee injury heading into the NBA Finals with the Dallas Mavericks.
That's what led Perkins to this:
"But when it comes to being reliable, Luka is starting to get in that territory of Joel Embiid. When you need him the most and it comes postseason time, he's not available. And if he is available, he's never close to 70% because he's always dealing with injuries. We don't have the worries with a senior citizen in LeBron James. He's available. So if you're the Lakers, you definitely want to try to do right by LeBron James."
LeBron averaged 23.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists against the Thunder. At 41. Without his co-star. That's the contrast Perkins is drawing, and it's hard to look away from it.
"So now it comes down to trust. Can you trust that Luka is going to be there when it matters the most. And over the last three years, the answer to that is hell no. But I know damn well, I could trust LeBron James to be there when they matter the most come postseason time. You better do right by LeBron."
Doncic is expected to be fully healthy for training camp in the fall, and the Lakers are moving forward with him as the cornerstone of the franchise. But heading into next season, the trust question Perkins laid out isn't going away anytime soon, and Doncic will need to answer it on the court.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/nba/lakers/onsi as Lakers Luka Doncic Faces Criticism as Trust Issues Follow Him Into the Next Season.
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This story was originally published May 14, 2026 at 10:38 AM.