Luka Dončić made LeBron a role player and it’s working
Luka Dončić hasn’t been a Laker for a full month yet, but they are already reaching heights that they haven’t seen since their last championship. After beating the Los Angeles Clippers for a second straight game on Sunday, March 2, their sixth consecutive win, the Lakers have now improved their record to 38-21, which now has them in second place in the Western Conference. None of this would have been possible if it wasn’t for the Luka Dončić trade and how it changed the dynamic of the Lakers roster.
For the first time in maybe LeBron’s basketball life, he is not the best player on his team, and there isn’t even really a debate about it. LeBron is still the leader and face of the Lakers, but the best player mantle has finally been given to a teammate, something LeBron actually wanted to do nearly half a decade ago. When Anthony Davis was first traded to the Lakers in 2019, the first thing out of LeBron’s mouth was that he would follow Anthony Davis’ lead and let him be the first option. That never materialized. Anthony Davis never elevated his play, and there were questions if he would ever. The biggest question mark came the following season in 2021. After winning the ring in the bubble, everybody was expecting it to be Anthony Davis‘ breakout MVP year. Instead, he came into training camp out of shape, and at that point LeBron realized he would have to carry the Lakers if Davis was his teammate.
It took another three years, but LeBron finally got a teammate who can carry the load in Luka Dončić, and there isn’t a question about that. In Luka’s six seasons, he has been All-NBA First Team five times, more than the legendary Stephen Curry. He has the second highest playoff scoring average, trailing only Michael Jordan. There are no questions about Dončić’s ability, and unlike Davis, his play leaves no questions about whether he wants to be the top dog. In Luka’s last five games, he has scored 30 twice and recorded a triple double. This is the consistency expected from Davis that never materialized. Luka has only been a Laker for eight games, but you already see how the dynamic has shifted everything for the team.
Once Luka joined the Lakers, he became their best player, even over LeBron James. This in turn shifted LeBron to the team’s second option, which means the Lakers now have the best number two option in the league. LeBron shifting to the second option makes Austin Reaves an elite third option currently averaging 19 points, four rebounds, and six assists. The Lakers now have the best big three in the league, and this win streak proves it.
The Los Angeles Lakers captured their 18th win in their last 22 games and their sixth straight win on Sunday. There were fears that Luka and LeBron wouldn’t be able to work because both of them needed the ball, but that fear has quickly been squashed. Luka, LeBron, and Austin Reaves work best when Luka controls the flow of the offense. Luka has been a Laker for less than a month, but already they are in their highest seeding position since 2020. This will be the first time in three seasons they won’t be in the play-in, and it’s not a coincidence this happened when LeBron’s role was lessened. Luka turned LeBron into a role player, and it might be the cheat code to LeBron’s fifth championship.
