Rich Paul’s blunt assessment of the Lakers’ roster construction cut through one of the team’s most persistent narratives this season. While critics often pin the team’s struggles on Luka Doncic’s shortcomings, Paul framed the conversation around structural flaws and dismissed the idea that defensive improvement from Doncic would meaningfully change the Lakers’ championship outlook.
“You’re putting all your eggs in the basket on if Luka would play defense,” Paul said on the Game Over Podcast. “I don’t give a damn if Luka turned into Tony Allen right now, it’s no different.”
The Lakers have surfaced in several rumors this season as they look for upgrades across multiple positions. While some fans would prefer the team wait before making moves, Paul believes the time to act is now.
“If you can do surface-level things, I’m not saying go out here and pigeonhole your future. But I’m also not saying to play this game of ‘wait on the biggest name because that to me is fantasy basketball.’ Reality is, every year is different. You can’t just throw a year away.”
There was a time when NBA team building revolved around star power, but times have changed. Today, success is more about depth and role players who fit together within a functional system. If the Lakers want to thrive, they need to adjust accordingly.
“If you look at what you have and the landscape of the league, it used to be that a championship team had at least two or more players who were head and shoulders above the opponents. Now, it’s more of a strength in numbers.”
Paul is right about one thing: the Lakers’ problems extend well beyond Luka’s defensive struggles. Even at 23-11, the consensus around the league is that this roster is not good enough to win a championship as currently constructed.
Defensive lapses, unreliable depth, and an overreliance on top-end talent have left the Lakers exposed against deeper, more balanced teams, contributing to a record that reflects flawed roster construction.
Doncic’s mistakes have been an easy talking point, but Paul’s comments suggest that the focus misses the larger issue. Luka is still producing at an elite level, averaging 33.5 points, 7.9 rebounds, 8.7 assists, 1.5 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game this season on 46.2% shooting and 31.9% shooting from three while carrying a massive offensive workload.
As the trade deadline approaches, the pressure now falls on the Lakers to take meaningful action. Waiting on ideal scenarios or headline names may no longer be realistic. Instead, Los Angeles may need to prioritize depth, versatility, and functional roster balance if it hopes to maximize this championship window around Luka Doncic and LeBron James.
As for potential options, several names have emerged. With needs on defense and on the perimeter, the Lakers have shown interest in players such as Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr., Brooklyn Nets wing Terance Mann, Charlotte Hornets guard Josh Green, and Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu. It remains to be seen if the Lakers have enough to land any of those targets, but they are expected to be active ahead of February’s deadline.
