Bill Simmons has never been shy about sharing his feelings on the Lakers, but his latest tweet came off less like analysis and more like thinly disguised jealousy. He posted:
“In 2025 the Lakers went from literally-about-to-break-down AD and the bumbling Buss kids to hitting-his-prime Luka and the savvy loaded Dodgers owner. Still coming to grips with this.”
It was blunt, dramatic, and very on-brand for Simmons, but the subtext was simple: he cannot believe how fast the Lakers flipped their entire franchise outlook.
At the start of this year, the Lakers’ future was hanging by a thread. Anthony Davis was still great when healthy, but ‘when healthy’ had become the problem again. He broke down in January, and the team had to survive long stretches without him.
LeBron James was doing everything possible in Year 22, but the roster lacked depth, direction, and long-term security. Austin Reaves was blossoming, but beyond him, the future felt empty. The Buss family was taking regular criticism for being one of the least willing ownership groups to spend aggressively. There was no clarity on what the Lakers would look like after LeBron retired, and that uncertainty hung over the franchise for months.
Back then, the idea of Luka Doncic in purple and gold felt like a fantasy. The Lakers looked like a team fighting to stay in the middle of the Western Conference, not a team preparing to build around a generational superstar. JJ Redick was showing promise, but even he admitted that the growing pains were real as the roster struggled to stay healthy and consistent.
Fast forward to the end of the year, and everything has changed. The Lakers not only landed Luka Doncic, but they also immediately became one of the most exciting teams in the league.
Pairing Luka with LeBron and Reaves created a new version of a Big Three that could win now and sustain success after LeBron eventually steps away. Luka is playing at an MVP level, averaging 35.2 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 9.2 assists, and giving the Lakers a superstar foundation that will last for the next decade. Reaves looks like a long-term co-star. Even in only two games back, LeBron has shown he can still be elite in his 23rd season.
On the sidelines, JJ Redick has turned into exactly the kind of modern, creative coach the Lakers needed. His offensive structure fits Luka perfectly, and his defensive schemes have looked sharper each week. The transformation in his first full season has quieted every early question about whether he was ready for the job.
The biggest shift, though, came off the court. Jeanie Buss sold the Lakers in the largest franchise sale in American sports history, a staggering $10 billion, to Mark Walter. The Dodgers’ owner is one of the wealthiest in sports, and his arrival instantly reshaped the perception of the Lakers. For years, the Buss family was criticized for financial limitations. Now, the Lakers suddenly sit among the richest, most ambitious organizations in the league.
The result is where they stand today: 12-4, third in the West, one of the hottest teams in basketball, and one of the brightest futures in the league. A year ago, they were fighting off criticism. Now, they are a title threat with stability, money, superstar power, and long-term direction.
Simmons wasn’t wrong about their transformation. He just sounded a little jealous saying it.
