Kendrick Perkins goes scorched earth on Lakers center Deandre Ayton

Former NBA center Kendrick Perkins delivered a blunt assessment of Deandre Ayton on the latest episode of the The Road Trippin’ Podcast, criticizing the Los Angeles Lakers center’s recent play and questioning his effort level on the floor.

Perkins, who spent 14 seasons in the NBA and won a championship with Boston in 2008, did not mince words while discussing Ayton’s performances during his first season with the Los Angeles Lakers.

“The sh*t I’m witnessing from him right now is disturbing to watch him on the floor. He does nothing athletically, he’s not going to lunge for basketballs, he’s not going to make the extra effort – like I just don’t get it. Sooner or later, if I’m beefing with 10 people and I got a problem with 10 people and 10 people got a problem with me, it ain’t the 10 people that’s the damn problem. Sooner or later, I got to go check myself.”

Perkins later added a humorous but pointed observation while referencing former Cleveland Cavaliers teammates Richard Jefferson and Channing Frye, both of whom played alongside LeBron James during their careers.

“And just watching him, his body language… I could tell you this: We all played with LeBron James, boy I know the signs when LeBron is off your a**, you ain’t even got to tell me. I know the signs and it’s getting to that point. He just don’t play with no damn force. It’s a damn shame.”

“It’s disturbing watching him on the floor. He does nothing athletically… He’s not going to make the extra effort… If I’m beefing with 10 people and 10 people got a problem with me… I got to go check myself.”

Kendrick Perkins on Deandre Ayton pic.twitter.com/2ZDFYhMHs0

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) January 24, 2026

Deandre Ayton’s recent struggles compound Lakers’ frontcourt questions

Ayton, 27, is averaging 13.7 points, 8.7 rebounds and one block per game while shooting 68.1 percent from the field and 63.6 percent from the free-throw line across 38 appearances. He is logging 29.8 minutes per contest in his first season in Los Angeles after arriving with expectations of stabilizing the Lakers’ interior presence on both ends of the floor.

Recent production, however, has drawn scrutiny. Over his last two games, Ayton averaged four points and 6.5 rebounds while shooting 40 percent from the field, playing just 17.7 minutes per game during that span. The reduced minutes have coincided with uneven performances from the Lakers’ frontcourt rotation as the team navigates a competitive Western Conference race.

Los Angeles enters the weekend at 26-17, sitting fifth in the Western Conference standings following a 112-104 loss to the Los Angeles Clippers on Thursday night. The Lakers will look to respond Saturday when they travel to face the Dallas Mavericks, the former team of Luka Doncic, at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC.

As the season progresses, Ayton’s role and consistency remain central talking points for a Lakers team with postseason ambitions and limited margin for error in a tightly packed conference.

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