The Los Angeles Lakers 2024-25 campaign did not end the way they were hoping it would, as they were bounced out of the 2025 NBA Playoffs in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves. However, after swinging a blockbuster trade for Luka Doncic midway through the season, the Lakers believe they have the perfect running mate for LeBron James as he finishes out his legendary NBA career.
Nobody knows how much longer James intends on playing, but for the first time in his career, he isn’t the best player on his own team anymore. Los Angeles enjoyed some success down the stretch of the regular season, and while they fell short in the playoffs, there’s reason to believe that they are primed for success in the near and long-term future now that they have Doncic at their disposal.
LeBron James Gushes Over Luka Doncic’s Greatness
After being selected with the No. 3 pick in the 2018 NBA draft, Doncic immediately established himself as one of the premier young talents in the league. In fact, it took Doncic missing 32 games this season due to a calf strain to snap a streak of five straight seasons where he was both an All-Star and First-Team All-NBA member.
Doncic initially struggled after getting picked up by the Lakers in one of the most stunning trades in the history of the league, but he eventually found his footing and helped his new squad find their way into the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference for the playoffs. In 28 games with L.A., Doncic averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game, although his shooting fell to 43.8% from the field.
Even though he wasn’t playing his best basketball, Doncic still radically transformed the Lakers, and that was something that was not lost on James. At this point of his career, James has seen it all, and he provided an eye-opening response when asked what makes the superstar Slovenian guard so good at the game of basketball.
“It’s always his pace, and it’s always been his pace,” LeBron James said on “Mind the Game.” “It’s never been a game, like, ‘You could speed me up. He can speed me up. This bigger guy can be more physical. The smaller guy could get up underneath me.’ He moves at his own pace, and he’s never, ever, been on the floor where he’s allowed someone to dictate where they’re gonna put him on the floor. It’s always been the opposite.”
Lakers Looking to Build Around LeBron James, Luka Doncic this Offseason
GettyLeBron James & Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers.
In the wake of their disappointing playoff exit, the Lakers have some work to do this offseason. They have secured their building block of the future, Doncic, but the rest of the roster around him is a question mark. That includes James, who has a player option in his contract and will face retirement rumors every year from here on out.
Assuming James does return for at least one more season, which seems likely to happen, Los Angeles’ front office will need to find a way to build up their roster to maximize his partnership with Doncic. The Lakers only scratched the surface of what this duo can accomplish, and all eyes will be on them this offseason to see what moves they make in an effort to build a championship roster around Doncic and James.
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