With LeBron James gone and ownership changing hands — again — a franchise lauded for its stability is now in the process of reinventing itself.
A year and a half after his stunning trade from the Dallas Mavericks, Luka Doncic now is the undisputed face of the Los Angeles Lakers, who will play home games in the shadow of 18 yellow NBA championship banners while searching for a path back to the franchise’s golden era.
With Doncic in the fold, the Lakers conducted a roster retooling this offseason instead of a complete rebuild under president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka.
Just one year ago, the Lakers appeared headed toward sustained success after Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter purchased a controlling interest in the franchise for $10 billion. But less than a year after the league approved the sale, Walter unloaded his share to Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner for a tidy $2.5 billion profit.
Independent of the drama, Pelinka reinforced the roster by adding Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Kevon Looney and Matisse Thybulle, among others. Guard Austin Reaves was re-signed in the offseason to be the Robin to Doncic’s Batman.
The Lakers did lose James’ veteran presence but appear to have gotten more athletic, and definitely younger, in the process. Getting Doncic to also feel young again will allow everybody to realize their potential.
Seeing Doncic play a full season is paramount.
The six-time All-Star missed 18 regular-season games last season and managed to finish fourth in MVP voting with 33.5 points, 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game. But he missed all 10 playoff games with a hamstring issue.
When he was traded to Los Angeles in the 2024-25 season, while injured no less, he scored 28.2 points combined and was not among the MVP contenders.
An indifference to fitness is reportedly what convinced the Mavericks’ front office to move on from their star and break hearts all around Dallas.
After that 2024-25 offseason, Doncic did undergo a physical transformation, then missed six of the first 24 games of last season with ankle and leg issues, as well as rest. He had a two-game paternity absence then missed the final five games of the regular season and the playoffs with his bum hamstring.
The concept heading into this season is that Doncic now has teammates that better compliment his playing style. And while that might be true, the idea that he will be able to deliver even more production seems absurd.
Last season alone, Doncic led the NBA in scoring, field goals made per game (10.8), field goals attempted (22.8), 3-pointers made (4.0), 3-pointers attempted (10.8) and free-throws attempted (10.1).
Had the Lakers made a play for the best record in the Western Conference, he might have closed the gap in the MVP race. And yet even if his numbers are better this season, showing more value than dynamic players like Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Victor Wembanyama will be a tall task.
Where Doncic can add to his legacy is by making the Lakers a better overall package while putting a scare into the best of the Western Conference.
Gilgeous-Alexander’s Thunder and Wembanyama’s Spurs were the two favorites to win the title when the 2026 playoffs started, according to DraftKings. The sixth-best odds? Those belonged to the eventual champion New York Knicks.
The comp Doncic should be striving for is the Knicks’ Jalen Brunson. Doncic won’t match Brunson’s athleticism but a dedication on defense, while being relentless in the clutch and helping his teammates to elevate their collective game will serve the Lakers well.
Perhaps those Lakers championship banners are not where Doncic needs to draw his motivation. To the right of those mementos are the team’s 14 retired numbers and one near the center of the bunch might provide the necessary inspiration.
Former Laker Magic Johnson was known for bringing his teammates together and finding a mutual understanding on the court. Doncic is already going that route by gathering his new teammates in his home country of Slovenia this summer.
The team played golf, visited a castle, went to a nightclub, spent time on the Ljubljanica River and generally made Slovenia its own.
The next step is to find a flow when the season begins next week.
