The Los Angeles Lakers enter the season with expectations yet to be determined, as Luka Doncic is now the singular face of the franchise.
LeBron James is still a great NBA player, and possibly the best to ever do it, but it was time for both parties to move on and let Doncic dominate the ball. The new version of the Lakers is not a superteam by any means, but may be even more effective: a Luka-team.
“Obviously, it is a new challenge. I have been in this position during my career a lot, so it is not new to me. I feel great, I am excited and ready to go,” said Doncic. “I like challenges. I wouldn’t say I feel different, but I feel honored.”
The new roster is hand-crafted to fit around the 27-year-old superstar, and while there is no other player on the roster with even 1 All-Star appearance, it might be exactly what can push Los Angeles back over the top.
It is not fair to say addition by subtraction when talking about a player of LeBron James’ caliber, but adding pieces around Doncic that complement his game best was always going to be the front office’s plan moving forward. This is the first season we will see that plan fully in effect.
Walker Kessler was the big addition this offseason, and while the signing did not steal headlines, he might be the best fit the Lakers could have added to their team.
“Playing with a guy like Luka who is an unbelievable guard in the pick-and-roll is really exciting. You saw it in Dallas with the lob-threat big; the formula has been done before, and it makes sense. As far as the belief that they have shown in me, it makes me feel like I can run through a brick wall for this organization and this team,” said Kessler.
Kessler is a 7’2” center who excels in 3 areas of the game. He is an elite rim protector, an excellent finisher, and one of the best bigs in the league when it comes to running the floor on fast breaks. It would be hard to create a player better suited to star alongside Doncic.
“I have played a lot of games against Walk, and it was always tough to play against him. I really wanted him, and the organization wanted him. I think it is an amazing fit for us, obviously as a rim protector, but also on offense he has improved so much that I think he is going to help us a lot,” said Doncic.
The other pricey move the Lakers made before the season was locking up Austin Reaves as Doncic’s backcourt mate. Reaves and Doncic have great chemistry on and off the court, and their games mirror each other in a way that when 1 is off the court, the offense can be run in the exact same fashion.
“I think being able to be versatile in what we are going to do in every possession. We are going to be able to do different things this year that we were not capable of doing last year. We are going to be able to play more free-flowing basketball. We are going to implement a good offense and move the ball side to side and get teams into rotation,” said Reaves.
Reaves is no Doncic, but when he gets into a groove, he can be just as effective and wear down defenses by slashing to the basket and drawing fouls. They both excel in the pick-and-roll, have great vision, and can knock down the long ball, making them interchangeable combo guards with the ability to play on or off the ball.
Next to Doncic, Reaves and Kessler have a chance to go from well-respected borderline stars to potential All-Star or All-NBA-level players in their new roles.
“Obviously we are not going to win 82 games, so you are going to have failures within this long season, but every single night when you take the floor, especially with this organization and fanbase, you have the chance to show the world what you are capable of. So you are going to have every single opportunity to do well with the opportunities that are given,” said Reaves.
All 3 players have struggled with injuries the past couple of years, but if they can stay healthy, the trio complements each other to a T.
When it came to filling out the rest of the roster, general manager Rob Pelinka clearly targeted the types of players who thrive next to Doncic. Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Matisse Thybulle, and Ziaire Williams are all capable defenders who can also hit a 3. Each has other aspects of their game that make them appealing, but those 2 traits are exactly what is needed on a Luka-team.
“I like everybody that we signed. I think there are a lot of guys that are underrated. I have gotten to spend some time with them off the court, and now it is time to focus on basketball, get to know what they like, and I am very excited to play with all of them,” said Doncic.
Players like Doncic do not grow on trees. He is one of the most gifted offensive players the game has ever seen and has proven that if you build a team around him, he can lead you to the NBA Finals.
Michael Jordan and Wilt Chamberlain are the only 2 players in NBA history who average more points per game than Doncic, and neither of those guys also flirted with 10 assists every night.
Los Angeles loves its superstars and has had its fair share of superteam runs, but 1 superstar might be all they need this time if the other parts of the engine fit properly. Doncic needs the ball in his hands as much as possible to get the most out of him, and the roster’s current makeup allows for just that.
Benjamin Verbrugge is a reporter for News4usonline who studied journalism at CSU Dominguez Hills. “Sports have brought me much joy throughout my life, and I want to give a little back to something that has meant so much to me.” Email Benjamin at benverbrugge8@gmail.com.
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