The Los Angeles Lakers have had an extremely eventful summer, now set to enter their first full season with the superstar duo of LeBron James and Luka Doncic.
While one is in the twilight of his career and the other is about to enter his prime, the two players are still at the top of the sport, but at very different points in their careers. For James, there’s no guarantee or knowledge about what he’ll do or where he’ll go after this season, while Doncic is now under contract for the next few years.
Despite their different situations, both of the Lakers’ top stars recently received high praise, putting the franchise in a unique category of having two players at the top of the league. Based on a recent list by ESPN, both James and Doncic were the only duo of players on the same team, each ranking in the top ten in the NBA.
James ranked eighth overall, ahead of Kevin Durant and behind Stephen Curry, while Doncic was third, ahead of Giannis Antetokounmpo and behind Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
But with both players that highly ranked, it raises the question of whether this season is ‘championship or bust’ for the Lakers.
LeBron James And Luka Doncic Both Ranked Top 10
For James, the body of evidence is there to show that, while still active, he remains one of the top players in the NBA. His scoring and efficiency have dropped slightly over the years, but he is still one of the best offensive players the league has to offer.
It’s hard to imagine the oldest player in the NBA sitting top-ten in a rankings list, but James has proven to break nearly every mold set before him. Though not at his same peak during the 2010s, James is still one of the most impactful players on the court at age 40.
“He has already shown unprecedented late-career production and will become the first player ever to play 23 seasons when he steps on the floor this fall,” ESPN staff wrote. “His NBA Rank prominence is unprecedented, too: fellow all-time great Kobe Bryant fell to No. 93 at the start of his 20th and final season in 2015-16.”
The question remains whether James will stay with the Lakers, go somewhere else, or enter retirement. The 21-time All-Star has kept his plans close to the chest, resulting in mass speculation of his future in the league.
Doncic’s ranking on ESPN’s list is also relatively straightforward. After leading the Dallas Mavericks to the Finals and subsequent trade to the Lakers, he has remained one of the most dominant players in the league. He struggled with injuries last season, but after his contract extension, weight loss, and historic EuroBasket run, he holds high expectations for the upcoming NBA season.
“Is the 26-year-old Doncic — with the third-highest regular-season scoring average and second-highest postseason scoring average in league history — ready to continue his trajectory and earn his first MVP along the way?” Dave McMenamin wrote.
Lakers Only Team With Top 10 Duo
With James seventh and Doncic third on ESPN’s recent list, the Lakers are the only team with a top-ten duo in the NBA. Some might disagree with the rankings, but at the same time, it is hard to deny the prowess of Los Angeles’ stars.
Behind the Lakers, the Oklahoma City Thunder have the next highest-ranked duo, with Gilgeous-Alexander second and Jalen Williams 11th. While they are coming off a historic championship run, the ESPN staff still put James and LeBron higher up on the list.
Besides them, only two other teams have two players in the top 20. The Golden State Warriors have Curry at seventh and Jimmy Butler at 18th, while the Cleveland Cavaliers have Evan Mobley and Donovan Mitchell at 13th and 15th, respectively.
With the Lakers’ duo ranked ahead of some of the other best partnerships in the NBA, one question arises: Is the Lakers’ season championship or bust?
According to Doncic, it is. He has been quoted multiple times this summer saying he wants to do everything to fight for a title in Los Angeles this season, despite the unknown futures of James and Austin Reaves on their roster.
James would likely have the same response, as according to his agent, Rich Paul, earlier this summer, championships are the only thing on his mind.
The expectations for the Lakers will be higher than in recent years now that they have their two superstars set for a full season together. Though they made roster changes and brought in new players, the supporting cast of the Lakers remains the biggest question mark for the team if they truly have championship hopes.
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