The Los Angeles Lakers are on a three-game losing streak and continue to fall in the West seeding. JJ Redick trashed his roster for saying they are playing terrible basketball as a way to call them out publicly. However, another former NBA coach recently chimed in and felt that Lakers superstar Luka Doncic deserves blame for the team’s struggles.
Sam Mitchell is a former NBA Coach of the Year winner known for his stint with the Toronto Raptors in the 2000s. The current media personality said the following on SiriusXM about Luka’s play hurting the team’s success:
“Luka Doncic cannot play basketball without the ball. He doesn’t cut, he doesn’t move, he doesn’t set screens. He’s great with the ball, but he does nothing to make his teammates better when he doesn’t have it. The problem with the Lakers is, Austin Reaves and LeBron James are the same way: they gotta have the ball.”
Mitchell claims that the three Lakers stars all needing the ball and being unable to make their teammates better is the problem. LeBron James used to be considered the best player at getting the most out of his teammates, but he’s too old to carry an offense at this stage of his career.
Is Mitchell Right About Luka Doncic?
The comments from Mitchell called out Doncic most for his role as the top star on the roster. Luka is currently considered a top three MVP candidate for his spectacular averages of 33.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and 8.7 assists per game.
However, the recent losing stretch has proved that the Lakers aren’t a top-tier West team like the Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets and San Antonio Spurs. Stronger consistent play must lead to more wins and fewer nights when they are being blown out by other West squads.
Doncic was called out by Mitchell for not making others better and always needing the ball. Both are fair criticisms of Luka, if Mitchell also credits him for the team’s winning record. Doncic is good enough to lead the Lakers against weaker teams, but he needs more help against the other Western Conference contenders.
Can Luka Doncic Save Lakers’ Season?
The future of LeBron is up in the air after this season due to his contract expiring and the Lakers no longer prioritizing him as the most important player on the roster. Doncic as the top superstar and Austin Reaves as the second scoring option will be the biggest pieces for the team’s future moving forward.
Regardless of whether James remains on the team or not, Luka is the player that must lead them to title contention. The Lakers likely must make a few more moves to improve the roster for this season’s run and for the long-term future alike.
Doncic has already led his former Dallas Mavericks team to the NBA Finals and made another Western Conference Finals as the best player. Mitchell is wrong about Luka being unable to make teammates better, but the Lakers roster needs more players suitable for Doncic’s strengths and to hide his flaws to improve their chances at another ring.
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