Kendrick Perkins unveils his top 3 'Big 3s,' Lakers' trio of LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves make the cut

Superstar guard Luka Doncic has only played five games with the LA Lakers. However, according to ESPN's Kendrick Perkins, Doncic and his new co-stars LeBron James and Austin Reaves already rank among the NBA's premier Big 3s.

During Wednesday's edition of "NBA Countdown," Perkins' co-host Chiney Ogwumike called attention to the Lakers' trio's latest standout performance. Doncic, James and Reaves scored or assisted on 95 of LA's points during Tuesday's 107-99 home win over the Dallas Mavericks.

Upon pointing out the stat, Ogwumike asked Perkins if there is "a new Big 3 out here on the scene in LA." The 2008 NBA champion promptly segued to unveiling his Big 3 rankings.

At No. 3, Perkins began with the Denver Nuggets' 2023 title-winning trio of Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon. He cited Jokic's dominance, Murray's offensive resurgence and Jokic and Gordon's two-man game in the frontcourt.

"All champions. They're finally getting their rhythm back," Perkins said. "We know what Jokic is; he's the best player in the NBA. Jamal Murray has finally arrived to the season. Now you get Aaron Gordon back, he's looking healthy. That tandem between him and Jokic is looking beautiful."

The big man followed that up by making the case for Doncic, James and Reaves at No. 2, underscoring Reaves' offensive breakout.

"LeBron, he's in the GOAT conversation. Luka, we know, five-time All-NBA, but this man right here, Austin Reaves, has arrived," Perkins said. "19 points, four rebounds, six assists. He is unlocking a different version of the Lakers. JJ Redick has brought out a beast in him."

At No. 1, Perkins chose his ex-squad, the defending champion Boston Celtics' trio of Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis. He highlighted Tatum and Brown's well-rounded wing production and Porzingis' versatility as a rim-protecting stretch five.

"You got Tatum, every single night, he's flirting with a 30-point triple-double. Jaylen Brown, one of the best two-way players in the game. Kristaps Porzingis, he's a unicorn for a reason," Perkins said.

Perkins' co-hosts appeared to disagree with some of his picks. However, the former 14-year pro reiterated that it was his list and stood by his opinion.

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Richard Jefferson says Austin Reaves is earning Luka Doncic's respect amid Big 3 talks

After Kendrick Perkins shared his Big 3 rankings, Richard Jefferson remarked on Austin Reaves' ascension. According to the 2016 NBA champion, Reaves is quickly winning over Luka Doncic with his offensive acumen.

"I watched (Tuesday's) game, and I watched Luka's eyes in real time gain respect for Austin Reaves," Jefferson said (timestamp: 9:40). "He threw the ball to Austin, Austin went to work, and the next thing you knew, it was like, 'Oh, okay, I didn't know he had that.'"

Given the Lakers' lack of a starting-caliber big man, Reaves' continued development in the backcourt will likely be crucial to the team's hopes of contending.

Through five appearances with Doncic, Reaves is averaging 17.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.8 assists, 0.6 steals and 2.6 3-pointers per game, shooting 42.4%.

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