The Los Angeles Lakers shocked the NBA last season when they acquired Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks, ushering in a new era of Lakers basketball.
It’s clear LeBron James’ time in the league is nearing its end, though when that’ll be still remains uncertain. The LeBron era in L.A. delivered the franchise’s 17th banner in 2020, though the club will now look to Doncic to lead the team to No. 18.
Now, Doncic will have to lead the Lakers without James in the mix, at least for opening night. James is dealing with sciatica on his right side and will be reevaluated in three to four weeks, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic.
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Luka Doncic preparing to lead Lakers without LeBron James
Entering his record-breaking 23rd NBA campaign, it wouldn’t be surprising if the Lakers monitored James’ playing time moving forward. Acquiring Doncic has also steered them in a new direction for both the present and the future, and Woike believes Doncic will be the focal point in Los Angeles.
“This, of course, is his team to lead long-term, and whether the Lakers were going to explicitly say it or not, it was always going to be on James to figure out the best ways to make it work around Doncic more so than the other way around,” he wrote.
Doncic is coming off an injury-riddled season largely due to a calf injury, though he still averaged 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, 7.7 assists and a career-high 1.8 steals per game in 50 regular-season appearances.
After Dallas traded him, general manager Nico Harrison cited concerns over his conditioning and defensive effort. So, Doncic got in the gym this offseason and now appears to be in much better shape ahead of his first full season with the Lakers.
James will still play a huge role in the team’s success, but Doncic is the future of the franchise and will aim to lead the team on a deep playoff run.
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