Luka Doncic says there was never any real strain with LeBron James during their brief run together on the Lakers, and he believes the bigger issue was simple timing.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix, Doncic said the pair never got enough runway to build the kind of rhythm teams need.
“We didn’t really get time to practice or get to know each other or how we wanted to play,” Doncic said.
That, he explained, was part of what made the Lakers’ situation feel familiar. Doncic pointed to the Mavericks’ February 2023 trade for Kyrie Irving, when that partnership didn’t click right away and Dallas still ended up missing the playoffs. Once he and Irving had more time together, the fit changed, and that group later reached the 2024 NBA Finals.
Doncic thinks Los Angeles could have had a similar breakthrough if the roster had stayed healthy. He made it clear there was no personal issue with James.
“He just let me be me, and I really respect that,” Doncic said. “And the way he approached the game with us, it was unbelievable.
It was very respectable. I had so much fun playing with him.
And, like I said, I think we could have made some noise in the playoffs if me and [Austin Reaves] don’t get injured. I think we had a chance.”
The Lakers looked like they were finding something before the season unraveled. They went 15-2 in March, and James settled into the role of third option behind Doncic and Reaves. The alignment seemed to be working, but the team never got to see that version of itself in the 2026 playoffs.
Everything changed on April 2 in a 139-96 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder, when Doncic suffered a grade 2 left hamstring strain and Reaves sustained a grade 2 left oblique strain. Reaves made it back for the first-round series against the Houston Rockets, but Doncic did not return. He missed the entire postseason, and the Thunder eventually swept the Lakers in the Western Conference Semifinals.
Doncic also took responsibility for staying in that game against Oklahoma City after hurting his hamstring in the first half. JJ Redick drew criticism for leaving him on the floor, but Doncic said the blame belonged with him because he was stubborn and should have come out.
Across the 2025-26 season, Doncic averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game.
With James now gone, the Lakers have moved fully into Doncic’s hands. James signed a two-year, $8 million deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, ending the possibility of seeing that Lakers trio carry the story any further. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported that James had no issue with Doncic, though the larger disconnect with the Lakers had already taken shape after the failed Russell Westbrook trade in 2021.
Doncic said it was sad to see James leave. James was his idol, and the chance to see more of them together is gone now.
In Other News...
Lakers Just Added Frontcourt Depth With Two-Way Decisions Looming
The Lakers are still sorting out the edges of their roster with the regular season closing in, and they made another frontcourt move by adding Rafael Castro to the training camp group. Castro gives Los Angeles another body inside as the team works through its final preseason tune-up, with two exhibition games left before opening night on Oct. 21.
Castro arrives with a bit of recent NBA transaction history, having spent time on a two-way arrangement elsewhere before landing in Los Angeles. The move comes as the Lakers continue to evaluate depth and flexibility around the front line, and with two-way decisions looming, every camp addition carries a little more weight than usual. [Read more 🡒]
Austin Reaves Has Lakers Fans Wondering About One Big Change
Austin Reaves arrived at NBA Media Day in his AR3s, a reminder that the Lakers guard still has a signature shoe line tied to Rigorer and a partnership that has grown since it began in 2022 and was extended the following year with equity and royalties baked in. For a player whose sneaker presence has become part of his profile, the setup suggested business as usual for a deal that once looked firmly in place.
But Reaves has lately been showing up in Kobe Bryant retro Nikes during preseason games, which has fans wondering whether something bigger is brewing on the footwear front. Rigorer is still out there pushing the AR3, including a fresh "Flames" colorway, so the brand-side commitment remains visible even as Reaves' on-court choices invite speculation about where his sneaker future is headed. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Still Waiting On One Crucial Walker Kessler Step
Walker Kessler was back around the Lakers on Saturday, taking part in practice, but the biggest box on his rehab checklist still was not checked. He remained out of live scrimmaging as he works his way back from the finger injury he picked up in training camp, and he has not yet appeared in any preseason game.
JJ Redick said Kessler might be ready to scrimmage again on Sunday, but stopped short of saying whether that would put him on track for Tuesdays preseason matchup with the Golden State Warriors. For now, the Lakers are still waiting on the next step in Kesslers return, with his availability still up in the air as camp winds on. [Read more 🡒]