On paper, the Lakers look like a contender. Luka Doncic, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves should be enough star power to scare anyone in the Western Conference. The standings even back that up, a 20-11 record, good for 5th in the West, and just 2.5 games behind the second-seeded Spurs. Since LeBron’s return, Los Angeles has gone a respectable 8-5 over a 13-game stretch.
But context matters. Over the last 10 games, the Lakers are just 4-6, and several of those losses have been alarming. None more so than the embarrassing blowout loss to the Detroit Pistons on LeBron’s 41st birthday, a night that was supposed to celebrate greatness but ended up being very uncomfortable.
JJ Redick publicly challenged the team last week, and the response since has been flat at best. They still lack a clear identity, and we can all see it.
The numbers look uglier. The Lakers rank 14th in points per game (116.8 PPG), 17th in opponent points per game (117.3 OPPG), and a brutal 25th in defensive rating (118.5). For a team with championship aspirations, those are deep-rooted issues that won’t be fixed by the pieces currently in place. And when stacked against the Thunder, Spurs, and Rockets, the Lakers do not belong in the same tier right now.
Here are three ugly truths the Lakers must acknowledge and the extreme steps necessary if they want to save their season and start bringing hope back to the fanbase.
LeBron James Needs To Let The Lakers Move On
This is the truth to say out loud, and the one no one in Los Angeles wants to admit. LeBron James has nothing left to prove. He owns a GOAT-caliber resume, delivered a championship to the Lakers, and has been the undisputed face of the NBA for more than a decade.
His legacy is secure. But at 41 years old, he is no longer the same player (posting a career-low 20.3 PPG, 4.9 RPG, 6.5 APG), and pretending otherwise is actively hurting this team.
The defensive impact simply isn’t there anymore. LeBron no longer provides closeouts, doesn’t consistently rotate, and conserves energy in ways that are understandable for his age, but devastating in today’s NBA.
The modern game is faster, more athletic, and more spacing-oriented than ever, and the Lakers do not have the personnel to cover for him defensively. Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves are both dominant offensive players, not defensive stoppers.
When all three share the floor, Los Angeles becomes a target possession after possession. The Lakers are throwing LeBron under the bus.
On the right team, with elite defenders and a system built to protect him, James can still swing playoff series without question. But his fit alongside Luka makes little sense, and the Lakers aren’t built to maximize him anymore. At this stage, the Lakers and LeBron have to agree that both parties would benefit from moving on, with The King deciding his future in the NBA because he has earned that right.
Trading Austin Reaves For Lauri Markkanen Is A Necessary Risk
Austin Reaves is a very good player who was on an All-Star tear before his injury this season. He is posting 26.6 PPG, 5.2 RPG, and 6.3 APG on 50.7% from the field, 36.5% from three, and 87.3% from the stripe. These are elite numbers that are masking a bigger issue.
The Lakers cannot continue building around stars who all struggle defensively, especially when two of them already demand the ball.
Reaves and Luka were electric early in the season, but the ceiling is clear. They cannot be the best players on a championship team together, especially when neither can get stops. Even without LeBron in the picture, Reaves remains a defensive liability.
That’s why a swing for Lauri Markkanen makes sense. Markkanen is a true two-way forward; size, shooting, rebounding, and defense; exactly the kind of star that complements Luka rather than duplicating him. He has been involved in trade rumors all season long, and is posting 27.7 PPG, 7.0 RPG, and 1.0 SPG on 47.3% from the field and 36.6% from deep.
He doesn’t need the ball to be effective, spaces the floor, and gives the Lakers lineup balance. It’s not about downgrading talent; it’s about correcting the fit. At 7’1″ with the ability to play both forward positions and even small-ball center, Markkanen and Doncic would fit better as the pieces around them improve.
Give Luka Doncic The Same Pieces He Had In Dallas
If the Lakers are serious about winning, they must fully commit to Luka Doncic (who is averaging a monster 33.5 PPG, 8.2 RPG, and 8.7 APG), and that means learning from what worked in Dallas. He needs defenders, shooters, and relentless energy players who do the dirty work while he orchestrates the offense.
That formula took him to the Finals in 2024 and cemented him as a top-five player in the world. The current roster misses that mark entirely. Players like Deandre Ayton don’t fit; low motor, poor physicality, and no defensive edge.
Luka thrived with centers like Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II: rim runners, rim protectors, high-energy finishers who made his job easier. The Lakers’ supporting cast lacks that identity. Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt, Gabe Vincent, and Maxi Kleber are not needle-movers. They don’t defend at a high enough level and are limited in the modern league.
Rui Hachimura is the exception. He’s either a valuable floor-spacer to keep or a legitimate trade asset to improve the roster. But beyond Luka, everyone should be expendable. That’s the mindset that Rob Pelinka needs to adopt.
Luka is good enough offensively to carry a contender; he has proven that. But if the Lakers want to be relevant with the man who changed the trajectory of their franchise in last season’s trade, they need to give him the right support.
