Luka Doncic isn’t pretending the Lakers are finished products. He knows exactly how much work is still ahead. But after a summer of roster changes, the Slovenian star is satisfied with where things stand and sees a real path for Los Angeles to get back into the mix.
That matters because Doncic has already put a lot of faith in the Lakers. Last summer, he signed a $165 million extension and gave Rob Pelinka the kind of trust that buys time, patience, and a chance to build the team around him. The Lakers now have to keep that trust intact, and the encouraging sign is that Doncic appears to believe the front office made meaningful progress.
The biggest reason for that optimism is the center spot. Doncic wanted an elite rim-running big who could rebound, finish lobs, and bring some defensive force to the middle.
Pelinka responded by making Walker Kessler a priority. The 7’2″ center brings career averages of 9.5 points, 9.3 rebounds, 1.2 assists, 0.5 steals, and 2.4 blocks per game while shooting 70.3% from the field, and at 24, he gives the Lakers a long-term piece as well.
Los Angeles didn’t stop there. The team also added Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, and Sandro Mamukelashvili in free agency, giving the roster more help on the wing and in the backcourt. In the draft, the Lakers selected shooting guard Cameron Carr, who has been lighting up the Summer League this year.
That’s a different-looking supporting cast around Doncic, who just wrapped up his first full season with the Lakers and delivered one of the best stat lines in the league: 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, 8.3 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.5 blocks per game while shooting 47.6% from the field and 36.6% from three. He carried the Lakers to the fourth seed in the West at 53-29, but the second-round playoff exit made the need for upgrades impossible to ignore.
The Lakers know they had to change, especially with the Thunder and Spurs in the picture. They also understand the cost of landing Doncic in the first place, which left them with limited tradeable assets. Even after losing LeBron James and Rui Hachimura, among others, they believe the roster they’ve built can still compete.
Whether that proves true will be decided later. For now, the key takeaway is simpler: Doncic is on board, he sees the direction, and he’s ready to do what it takes to help bring the Larry O’Brien trophy back to Los Angeles.
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Warriors Just Lost Out On A Wing They Clearly Needed
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For the Warriors, it is another reminder of how thin the margin can be when a needed piece is available and then gone. Hachimura had options beyond Golden State, and his recent playoff work only sharpened the case for teams that wanted a wing who could stretch the floor and score without forcing the issue, leaving the rest of the market to sort out what comes next. [Read more 🡒]