Does The NBA Have A Los Angeles Lakers Problem?

Does The NBA Have A Los Angeles Lakers Problem?

What a play from DeAndre. Wow. Look out. Jared Allen. Oh, rejected at the rim. Thor spar right on deck to cross tweed and highlight in the middle. Back to the front. The Los Angeles Lakers have had a busy off season that have people talking. Making some serious moves, adding former defensive player of the year Marcus Smart. Splits the defense, scores and blocked. Oh, what a block. right there as Nan puts it back in. LeBron with a full head of ste brought in DeAndre Aton to shore up the front court. Grab Jake Laravia who could be that three and D piece they’d be missing and a promising rookie to fill out the rotation. On paper, it’s a great supporting cast. But here’s the thing, LeBron is about to turn 41 years old. The Western Conference might be the most stacked it’s ever been. And when you really start digging into this roster, there are some legitimate questions about health, chemistry, and whether all these pieces actually fit together. So the question is, are they good enough to matter? Or are we witnessing another experiment that’s destined to fall short when it matters most? After a pretty uneventful start to free agency, the Lakers suddenly hit the gas and started making moves with purpose. What began as free agency radio silence quickly turned into a calculated retooling effort built around two generational playmakers, Luca Donuch and LeBron James. By Luca Donic. Oh, what a pass. Donic. Perfection. The first addition was Jake Laravia coming over from the Kings on a 2-year $12 million deal. Next came the headline move. After a contract buyout in Portland, the former number one overall pick finds himself in purple and gold. And while Aiden hasn’t quite lived up to the superstar ceiling people predicted back in 2018, he has averaged a double double every season of his career. But the Lakers weren’t done. Shortly after, the Lakers landed Marcus Smart on a 2-year, 11 million contract after his buyout with the Wizards. And to top things off, they added youth and athleticism and Adu Theo, the 36th pick in the draft, originally selected by Brooklyn. Altogether, the Lakers have assembled a roster that blends experience, defensive grit, and athleticism. On paper, this version of the Lakers looks much stronger than last year’s. But climbing into the upper tier of the Western Conference requires more than just talent. It requires chemistry, health, and consistency. The Lakers have the pieces. Now it’s all about how they fit together. But now in the NBA, it doesn’t matter how deep your bench is or how many savvy vets you stack around the edges. Every championship run begins and ends with your core. And for the Lakers, that core now revolves around Luca Donuch and LeBron. After years of trying to squeeze another title out of the LeBron, Anthony Davis duo. LeBron alley. That was pretty nice. Three-pointer by Anthony Davis. It’s good. The Lakers hit the reset button in a bold way, trading for Donic and signaling a new direction. This wasn’t just LeBron’s team anymore. It was Lucas, too. But Lucas first stretch in LA didn’t exactly feel like the arrival of a new era. He looked slightly out of rhythm. Whether it was the lingering injuries or just adjusting to a new system and new city, Luca didn’t seem fully like himself. Even so, he still managed to put up Luca numbers. Luca still driving. Spins, turns, lays it up and in. Beautiful move by Luca. 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 1.6 steals over 28 games while shooting 43.8% from the field, and 37.9% from deep. That’s a down year by his standards. That said, the Lakers season ended abruptly, losing in five games to a surging Timberwolve squad in the first round. But that series exposed more than just a roster that needed upgrades. It showed that Luca wasn’t quite at peak form. By game five, he looked worn down, heavy-legged, and clearly not in the kind of shape that wins titles. The criticisms that followed were new. The same questions that chased him in Dallas. His conditioning, his focus, and his leadership found their way into the LA headlines. At his peak, Luca Donuch is a top three player in the NBA. Not just a star, a system unto himself. A player who can carry a franchise into the postseason without blinking. And the Lakers are fully aware of what they have. They’ve built their future around the belief that Donic isn’t just a talent, he’s a turning point. Luca knows it, too. And that’s what makes this off season so different. For the first time in his career, Donic has flipped the script. His focus hasn’t been on tweaking his handle or refining his step back. It’s been on reshaping his body. Photographs have shown a noticeably leaner and more locked in Luca with reports confirming a full-scale overhaul in his training and diet. He’s also ramped up his cardio, long-d distanceance runs, interval training, and highintensity conditioning. The physical transformation is no longer speculation. It’s visible. Luca now looks sharper, lighter, and more agile than ever. And for a player whose game has always thrived on rhythm, pace, and control, dropping weight could unlock an entirely new level offensively and especially on the defensive end, where mobility, and endurance have often been his weakest spots. The Lakers have retoled around him. The pieces are coming together, but the biggest development isn’t a roster addition. It’s Luca himself. If this new version of Donic is here to stay, the rest of the league is officially on notice. But this Lakers team isn’t just about Luca because standing right beside him is the king himself. LeBron James may be 40 years old, but he’s still one of the best players in the league. This past season, he earned all NBA honors again, and at 40, that’s more than just impressive. It’s unprecedented. In year 22, he put up 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game. The numbers say it all. He’s still the anchor, both in production and leadership. But no matter how much LeBron has defied father time, he’s still 40, turning 41 this season. The slowdown has already begun, not in dramatic ways, but in the margins. The transition defense used to be effortless. The stretches of takeover mode that used to last quarters now come in burst. It’s not about whether decline is coming. It’s already here and it’s natural. With LeBron in year 23 and Luca entering his prime, the balance of power is clearly shifting. LeBron is no longer carrying the load alone, but the team still relies on him to show up, to lead, to produce. And while any team built around Luca and LeBron has the firepower to beat anyone on any given night, the playoffs are all about endurance. Four series, four wins in seven games, that’s the grind. And for a 41-year-old LeBron on a team that still needs him to produce every night, that’s the true test. Not the highlight plays or the stat lines, but the ability to do it over and over again deep into May and June. Still, as long as Luca and LeBron are together, the Lakers will remain in the championship conversation. And for now, that’s more than enough to keep Los Angeles in the hunt. And speaking of building a contender, supporting pieces matter just as much as the stars, which is why the Lakers didn’t just sit back, they went out and got Marcus Smart. 3 years ago, Smart was at the peak of his powers. 2022 defensive player of the year, the first guard to win the ward in nearly three decades. But since then, he’s struggled not just to reach that level again, but to stay on the floor. Over the past two seasons, Smart has averaged just 23.8 minutes per game across 54 appearances. That’s barely 2/3 of a season’s worth of action. He put up 11 points, 3.6 assists, and 1.5 steals per game on 41.1% shooting from the field and 33.1% from deep. Solid, but not gamechanging. But his short stint with the Wizards told a slightly different story. In 15 games, Smart posted a careerhigh 18 points per 36 minutes, and his three-point shooting climbed to 39.2%, the best mark of his career. A small sample size, but it hinted at what a locked in Marcus Smart could still bring to the table. And for the Lakers, he feels a very real need. After losing Dorian Finny Smith to Houston, LA was left without a true point of attack defender. That’s where Smart steps in. Even now, he’s still one of the best on ball defenders in the league. Capable of taking the toughest perimeter assignments night in night out. Offensively, he’s never been a knockdown shooter, but playing alongside Luca and LeBron, two of the best offensive minds in basketball means Smart will get the cleanest looks of his career. Add in his underrated playmaking and suddenly the Lakers have a defensive stopper and a secondary creator who can run sets when needed. There’s also the intangibles. Smart is a respected voice in any locker room. He brings grit, toughness, and accountability. Qualities that championship teams need when things get tough in March and April. Of course, there’s still the injury concern. Smart has only played 54 games over the past two seasons, mostly due to hand and ankle injuries, but these aren’t the kind of injuries that usually linger long term. If he’s healthy, and all signs point to him entering the season with a clean bill, this could be a steal for the Lakers. But while bringing in Marcus Smart gave the Lakers the backcourt defensive stopper they desperately needed, the front court still had a glaring hole. After the blockbuster deal to brought in Luca Donuch and sent Anthony Davis the other way, the Lakers entered the playoffs thin at the five. And by the time they faced the Timberwolves, it showed there was no real answer inside. No rim protection and no size to battle with elite bigs like Julius Randall and Rudy Gobear. So, as the off season began and Aiden finalized a buyout with the Trailblazers, it didn’t take long to connect the dots. The Lakers needed a big Aiden was available. The fit made too much sense and soon enough they got their guy. But make no mistake, this move comes with risk. Aiden has yet to live up to the massive expectations that followed him into the NBA. He wasn’t the franchise cornerstone Phoenix hoped for. And in Portland, he struggled to lead or anchor a rebuilding squad. He’s never quite made the leap from talented starter to full-fledged star. Still, Aiden is only 26, and the player he is right now is already a clear upgrade over anything else the Lakers have in the front court. This past season, he averaged 14.4 points, 10.2 rebounds, and one block per game. Those numbers won’t jump off the page, but they speak to a baseline level of production that’s tough to find, especially from a free agent center. Plus, he’s already battle tested, and that playoff experience matters. Aiden was the starting center during the Suns 2021 finals run, logging heavy minutes in pressure moments, and even playing a key role in knocking the Lakers out of the first round that year. LA saw what he was capable of firsthand. Right away, Aton gives the Lakers something they’ve been missing for a while, a legit short roll threat in pick and roll actions last season. Aton shot 58.2% and scored 1.13 points per possession, which placed him in the 57th percentile leaguewide. And that’s with Portland’s young inconsistent ball handlers. With Donic and LeBron feeding him clean looks, those numbers are expected to rise. He also checks the most basic but essential box for a modern NBA center lob catching ability. Aiden stands 71 with a 76 wingspan and a 43.5 in vertical leap. When he’s locked in, he gets up and down the floor with ease and plays above the rim better than most bigs in the league. In just 47 games with the Blazers, Aiden converted 51 alleyoops, a number that should spike in LA with Lucas spoon feeding him dimes. There’s more to his game than just rolling and finishing. According to NBA tracking data, Aiden hits 45.8% of his mid-range jumpers, ranking fourth among centers with at least one attempt per game. That kind of range turns pick and pops into real threats and forces opposing bigs to step out of the paint, opening up driving lanes for everyone else. On the defensive end, Aiden brings size without sacrificing too much mobility. He’s listed at 250 lbs, big enough to hold his own in the post, but agile enough to switch and stay in front of small players on the perimeter. And one underrated part of his game is how well he crashes the offensive glass. After the Davis trade, the Lakers lost their best offensive rebounder. AD averaged 2.6 per game, but Aiden gave Portland 3.1 offensive boards per night, ranking fifth among all centers playing at least 30 minutes per game. Skill-wise, there’s no doubt Aton remains one of the most offensively gifted bigs in the league. But the real story is in the gap between what he can do and what he actually does. The criticisms that have followed him from Phoenix to Portland are always inconsistency and a lack of effort on a nightly basis. But health has also played a big part. He missed 42 games last season, including the final stretch with a calf strain. In total, Aiden has played 63 or more games just three times in 7 years with recurring ankle, back, and knee issues limiting his availability. Still, the most encouraging part of this entire gamble is that so much of it is in Aiden’s hands. Setting scholar screens, rolling with force, contesting shots, staying locked in. These are effort plays, not talent plays. Everyone knows he has the tools. Now, it’s all about doing it consistently because this might be his last shot to rewrite the narrative. That said, LA also saw arguably their best 3 and D wing, Dorian Finny Smith, depart in free agency to sign with Houston. That left another gap the Lakers needed to plug and they quickly turned to free agency again. This time identifying former Kingsman Jake Loravia as the one to fill it. Let’s be honest, Lorravia isn’t the kind of blockbuster move or the kind of name that headlines a Lakers off season, but there’s still something there. Lorravia is a versatile defender. He has the strength to guard fours, the quickness to keep up with threes, and he’s coming off a breakout year from deep. After shooting 33.8% and 30% from beyond the arc in his first two seasons, he knocked down 42.3% of his threes last year with the Kings. And now playing next to Luca Donuch and LeBron James, he’s going to get even better looks as he shot 45.5% on wide open threes last season. Shot creation isn’t his strength, but that’s not a problem as Lorravia just needs to do what he does best, defend and hit open shots. He may not be a flashy signing, but he’s a smart one. A lowcost, high upside complimentary piece who fits what the Lakers need. But the front office didn’t stop there. They also added more youth and athleticism by acquiring the draft rights to Adu Thorough in a seven team trade. Standing 6’8 with a 7t wingspan, Theorough played his final college season at Arkansas and averaged 15.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, 1.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game while shooting 54.5% from the field. He’s a strong slasher, a high motor athlete, and a threat on the offensive glass. With his size and athleticism, he fits the mold of a modern NBA forward. Able to play in small ball lineups, finish above the rim, and attack in transition. His main weakness is his shotmaking. He made just 28.4% of his threes in college and hasn’t shown much to suggest he’s ready to stretch the floor yet. But if he figures that part out, his length and defensive versatility could make him an ideal 3 and D wing. For now, Theierro is likely headed to the G- League, but the tools are there for him to work his way up the depth chart over time. Though there’s still work to be done this off season, it’s already interesting to assess where the Lakers stand in a stacked Western Conference. At the end of the 24-25 season, the Lakers were firmly in the second tier of contenders. But with several teams reloading and upgrading their rosters, there’s now growing uncertainty about the Lakers staying power in a conference increasingly dominated by rising powers. The Oklahoma City Thunder are setting the standard. The Houston Rockets are younger, deeper, and just had an impressive off season. The Denver Nuggets still had the league’s best offensive player in Nicola Joic and have made some impactful moves. Even the Lakers neighbors, the Clippers, had been aggressively reshaping their roster. Yes, for all the talk about their flaws last season. What really sank the Lakers against the Timberwolves was depth. That series felt like watching a rerun from game three to game five. The Lakers simply ran out of steam. But this off season has helped change that. The roster is now deeper. Luca Donuch is in shape. LeBron James looks rejuvenated. The defense is tougher with Smart in the fold. And Aiden provides reliable size and presence in the paint. The Thunder, Denver, and the Rockets might still be the favorites, but the Lakers aren’t far behind. They may not be a super team, but they’ve got the star power. And if the main guys stay healthy, they won’t just be in the mix. they could be positioned to make a legitimate title run in 2026. So, the Lakers might not be the favorites, but any team with Luca and LeBron backed by a legitimate supporting cast can’t be overlooked. Still, their success will hinge on health, chemistry, and whether these new pieces truly click. This could be the start of something special or just a one-year experiment waiting to fall apart. Where do you rank the Lakers in the West? Are they truly contenders or still a step behind the elite? Drop your thoughts in the comments. And if you haven’t already, be sure to like this video, subscribe, and turn notifications on. We’re just getting started.

The Los Angeles Lakers are once again at the center of the NBA conversation, but this time, the question is simple: does the league have a Lakers problem? In this video, we break down how the Lakers, led by Luka Doncic and LeBron James, are shaping up as one of the most dangerous and unpredictable teams in the league heading into the 2025-26 season.

With Luka now fully integrated the Lakers have added depth with the additions of Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia.

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