The Los Angeles Lakers boast one of the most potent superstar duos in the league, with LeBron James and Luka Doncic being featured in the starting lineup. Given what the two accomplished in their brief time together last season, the duo is primed to come back stronger next season.
However, former Lakers big man Shaquille O’Neal has higher expectations for them. In a recent interview with Scoop B. Robinson, O’Neal was asked about whether he’s seen anything like the pairing of Doncic and LeBron in the league. The Hall of Famer responded:
“Yeah! Throughout the league, it’s always been a duo in the backcourt. But here in L.A., we expect championships. So hopefully, they can get it done this year.”
O’Neal’s response appears to shift away from the original question, but it expresses his stance quite clearly. The Lakers need to bring a title to L.A.
This entire offseason has been an effort to ensure that the Purple and Gold are primed to contend. From Deandre Ayton’s signing to answer the shortcomings in the big man rotation to Marcus Smart’s addition as a primary point-of-attack defender, the Lakers have addressed almost all of the major roster concerns.
Los Angeles will certainly head into the 2025-26 season with an improved roster. In addition to this, the Lakers are also likely to see a reinvigorated effort made by Doncic to lead a title charge.
After drawing criticism for his defensive shortcomings and being out of shape in the playoffs, Doncic committed himself to conditioning this summer. The result has seen the Slovenian in the best shape of his career.
The Purple and Gold can use his performances at EuroBasket as a preview for what he can accomplish next season. After a thrilling performance in the tournament, albeit ending in a tough loss to Germany in the quarterfinals, Doncic came away with an average of 34.7 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 7.1 assists per game.
The expectations from Doncic and James to be productive on offense are likely to be met. Even though we can expect a minor drop-off in output from James, owing to his age, it is fair to assume that it will be counterbalanced by increased contributions from Doncic and Austin Reaves.
The real question is whether all the additions will be enough to cement their status as a title contender. While the team is better on paper compared to the 2024-25 season, L.A. may not have enough to make it out of the West just yet.
When considering teams like the Thunder, who remain dominant, and teams like the Nuggets and the Rockets, who have made significant additions to their roster, the moves made by the Lakers may pale in comparison.
This, in itself, would indicate the need for more reinforcements. To address this, the team has been linked to acquire key roster pieces in several trade rumors, primarily Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins.
Although there have been reports suggesting renewed interest in acquiring him, it is expected that the Purple and Gold may only do so once the season is underway.
When considering the front office’s outlook on maintaining free cap space for the summer of 2026, there may be some questions regarding the Lakers’ intentions of contending this season. But given Doncic’s “win now” approach, L.A. may make the necessary upgrades to prepare for a legitimate title charge.
