Luka Doncic’s first full season with the Lakers gave the franchise exactly what it hoped for from its new centerpiece: elite scoring at a historic level. The star guard captured his second NBA scoring title, putting up 33.5 points per game while adding 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists. He shot 47.6 percent from the field and 36.6 percent from 3-point range.
Even with that production, one former NBA guard still put James Harden ahead in the scoring conversation. Jeff Teague made his case on Club 520 Podcast, saying Harden’s ability to work defenses is what separates him.
Jeff Teague says James Harden is a better scorer than Luka Doncic:“I think James scored easier than Luka. I mean, Luka score easy as hell too.
They both hold the ball the whole time, James is just able to manipulate the defense way easier. Like, you had to foul him or he was… https://t.co/1t2f9pGO62 pic.twitter.com/G8gyHhkx06
Teague’s argument leans on how Harden did it in his prime, when he spent six straight seasons averaging at least 29 points per game as the face of the Houston Rockets. At that point, Harden was one of the league’s most feared scorers and a regular part of the NBA MVP race.
The version of Harden in Cleveland is a different player. He now serves as a secondary scorer behind Donovan Mitchell, still capable of putting up big numbers but no longer carrying the kind of nightly burden he once did. Harden is currently an unrestricted free agent, though it appears likely he will re-sign with the Cavs before the 2026-27 season.
Doncic, by contrast, is still building his NBA résumé. Harden has nearly a decade more experience, and the gap in time is part of what makes this debate so open-ended. The Lakers guard has plenty of runway left to make his own case, even if his immediate focus is helping Los Angeles chase an 18th championship banner at Crypto.com Arena.
That task now falls squarely on Doncic’s shoulders. With LeBron James having taken his talents to the Philadelphia 76ers this summer, the Lakers belong to Doncic and Austin Reaves, who will be asked to handle the scoring load with help from a new group that includes rising star center Walker Kessler.
The next step for Doncic is obvious: keep climbing. Whether he can push his game even higher next season will shape both his MVP case and the Lakers’ hopes in a crowded Western Conference.
In Other News...
Lakers Sale Drama Just Pulled The Franchise Into Trump Family Speculation
The early chatter around the Lakers planned $12.5 billion sale has taken on a political edge, with speculation swirling over whether the process has anything to do with President Donald Trump or his administration. The White House stepped in to deny that connection, as the sale itself continues to draw outsized attention because of the size of the deal and the prominent names attached to it, including Josh Kushner and Bob Iger.
Josh Kushners family ties to Trump have helped fuel the noise, even though he has no official role in the administration. Amid the broader talk about federal investigations involving current owner Mark Walter and whether they could be used as leverage, Kushners venture capital firm also pushed back on the claims, leaving the story in a familiar holding pattern: plenty of speculation, but no public proof tying the Lakers sale to the White House. [Read more 🡒]
Cavaliers Could Be Pulled Into A Lakers Trade Shakeup
With the Lakers still over the regular-season roster limit, the front office is again being pushed toward a numbers game that could force some tough choices before opening night. Los Angeles has a crowded group on hand, and the need to get down to 15 players has put a few names into the mix as the team works to reshape the back end of the roster around Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves.
One of the more interesting possibilities has pulled Cleveland into the conversation, with trade talks centered on adding more shooting to a Lakers group that could use it. Dalton Knecht and Jarred Vanderbilt have been among the players in the discussion, and the framework of the talks suggests the Lakers are still trying to balance immediate roster flexibility with a cleaner fit for their top creators. [Read more 🡒]
Lakers Ownership Shift Could Reshape JJ Redicks Future Fast
JJ Redick already has a little more security than most first-year Lakers coaches can count on. After his first season, he received an extension that lines his deal up with Rob Pelinkas, a sign that the organization wanted to keep its coach and front office tethered together as it moved forward. In the normal run of things, that would be enough to put Redick on stable ground heading into the next phase of the job.
The wrinkle is that the Lakers are now entering an ownership transition, with Bob Iger and Josh Kushner among the new faces at the top and no detailed blueprint yet for how they plan to reshape the franchise. Around that shift, one name has started to surface in conversation: recently retired Chris Paul, whose long relationship with Iger has fueled talk that he could eventually be considered for an advisory role. For Redick, that means the future may be tied not just to his own performance, but to how the new decision-makers decide to build around him. [Read more 🡒]