If the Los Angeles Lakers want to reach another level, Luka Doncic must evolve. It’s that simple.
The days of the ball living in Doncic’s hands from tip-off to the final buzzer cannot continue — not on a team that already features LeBron James and Austin Reaves, two players more than capable of creating, scoring, and initiating offense.
During his time with the Dallas Mavericks, Doncic was the unquestioned engine of everything. Every possession began with him — a pick-and-roll here, a mismatch there, and a slow, methodical breakdown of the defense until it bent completely to his will. Few players in NBA history have controlled a game’s tempo with such precision.
But that system came with a cost. Doncic’s heliocentric style was both brilliant and exhausting, placing immense physical and mental strain on his shoulders. In Los Angeles, that approach won’t be sustainable — or necessary.
The Lakers need a different version of Luka Doncic.
As Jovan Buha noted on Buha’s Block, “Part of it will be having Luka play off the ball a little bit more. We saw some of that with Slovenia. We did see some of that last year — they had that chase 77 action where he would come off a couple pin downs.”
That’s the vision the Lakers must lean into: Doncic as a dynamic scorer and connector, not just a ball-dominant orchestrator. Movement — cutting off screens, running through handoffs, slipping behind defenses — could unlock an entirely new dimension to his game and make Los Angeles far more unpredictable.
When Doncic dominates every possession, defenses know exactly what’s coming. When he plays within a more fluid, motion-based system, he forces constant defensive decisions — creating chaos instead of waiting for it.
LeBron, entering his 22nd season, doesn’t need to carry the creative burden every night. Reaves has blossomed into a secondary playmaker who thrives when the ball moves. For this trio to work, Doncic must blend his generational shot creation with the off-ball activity of a superstar willing to adapt.
Predictability kills creativity — even for one of the best offensive players alive. The Lakers don’t need Doncic to be different because he isn’t great; they need him to be different because that’s the only way greatness turns into championships.
