NBA fans really underestimated how great the Lakers could be with LeBron James and Luka Doncic playing together. While the latter has been trying to etch himself into his new team’s history books, a disappointing stretch should not disillusion fans with what lies ahead. You see, as per ‘StatMamba’ on X, Doncic joined James as the fastest Lakers player to record 300 points and 100 assists with the organization. So their start might have been slow but their future seems to be bright.
Then there is JJ Redick, who is proving every doubter wrong in his first season as the Lakers head coach. The rookie coach has shown he has the tactical mind to handle the job, and with Luka Doncic in the mix, their playoff chances are looking strong. Since bringing Doncic on board, the Lakers have posted a solid 9-5 record. They had serious momentum too—riding an eight-game win streak before LeBron James went down with a groin injury.
But even as the team turns things around, Jeanie Buss remains unsatisfied because she believes they still have more work to do. Speaking on Games With Names podcast, she emphasized the need to surround Doncic with the right pieces.
“You mean the trade? Yeah, I mean, you know, we—I think we need to get the right players around him. I think we have, it’s very interesting to watch him play with LeBron. We don’t have enough of a sample size yet, but wow, this kid can pass the ball. Like, he sees the game like no one I’ve ever—It’s, it’s, you know, I, I really had no idea how great of a mind he has for basketball.
Yes, the Lakers have yet to see a large enough sample size of Doncic and LeBron James playing together, but Buss is already in awe of the former’s talent. With Buss’ clear directive, the pressure now falls on general manager Rob Pelinka to shape the roster accordingly. And as it turns out, Pelinka has been making franchise-altering decisions since the very moment the younger player became an option for the Lakers.
Buss revealed that the first discussions about trading for Doncic began under chaotic circumstances. On January 7, when the Lakers were in Dallas, wildfires raged in California, leaving many—including the players—distracted. “Of course, the players were all watching their phones because they didn’t know what was happening,” Buss shared. “You know, especially JJ, you know, his wife had to evacuate, so it’s like they were completely distracted from the game.
While emotions ran high, Pelinka saw an opportunity. “And at that point, that’s when Rob was at the game, Rob Pelinka our GM, was at the game and he met with the GM of the Dallas team and they had a conversation and Rob thought about it for a day and then came to me and said, ‘Here’s something that was kind of talked about a framework’ and I said, ‘Well I hope you told them that we’re not trading Anthony Davis, like that’s not you know, we’re not trading him.’ And as then we talked more and more, we figured out a framework that could work.
However, she also knew that if these conversations became public, it could blow up their season. And that’s the reason the whole thing was kept under wraps until it was time to take action, which ultimately left everyone surprised. Now that the trade is done and dusted, the Lakers are looking to secure their future with Doncic on their side.
Eric Pincus from ‘Bleacher Report’ predicted something for the LA team and if that proves to be true in the near future, they will get a massive push. While they struck a great trade and brought Doncic in, predictions suggest that they might be thinking about Giannis Antetokounmpo as well.
For something like this to happen, the player will have to demand out from Milwaukee, and a combination of salary, picks, and talent could bring him to join the Lakers.
Now the Lakers can’t trade their first-round picks in 2026, 2028, and 2030 because they already traded away their first-round picks in 2025, 2027, and 2029. This might hinder the team’s ability to land the two-time MVP unless they have something tempting for him. Perhaps Austin Reaves and Dalton Knecht could intrigue the Milwaukee Bucks. Additionally, Reaves and Rui Hachimura might be useful in getting the Lakers to add draft picks in separate deals. Contender teams in the league might see these players as the key to helping them with a championship.
So if the LA Lakers figure out ways to get Antetokounmpo to play alongside Doncic and James, their odds to win a championship will only improve. Let us not forget that the Mavericks too were once interested in seeing Doncic and Antetokounmpo playing together during Mark Cuban’s time as owner. As a result, we won’t be too surprised if the Lakers see some value in this vision.
