Luka Doncic’s resume speaks for itself. Despite only being 26 years old and a seven-year pro in the NBA, Doncic’s status among the best players in the game is questioned only by Nico Harrison and Dallas Mavericks ownership. Their loss has been the Los Angeles Lakers’ gain.
Many have were initially of the opinion that the Lakers were not ready to compete for a title. While the verdict on whether they can be a champion is still up for debate, labeling them as contenders is a safe claim to make.
One of the biggest hesitancies around giving Los Angeles that designation from the jump was the lack of depth in the frontcourt. Jaxson Hayes was not initially viewed as being good enough to hold the fort down by himself. That has not been the case. With Hayes playing the best basketball of his career, the Lakers have proven themselves to be a tough foe on a nightly basis. Any free agent centers, or ones potentially looking to force their organization’s hand into trading them, have got to love the idea of joining Los Angeles as they continue to watch what Doncic is doing.
Doncic breathes new life into his frontcourt partners
Hayes is a great case study of how Luka elevates his centers. The Lakers big man is a strong lob threat and rim runner on the offensive end. As a result of that skill set, Hayes has reaped the rewards of getting to play alongside Doncic on the offensive end.
Before the Slovenian superstar made his debut with the Lakers, the numbers for the former top 10 pick were nothing to write home about. Hayes was averaging 5.7 points per game, while shooting 67.7 percent from the field, during 17.9 minutes a night.
In the 19 games that Doncic has shared the court with his newest pick-and-roll partner, Hayes’ numbers pop significantly more in a couple of key aspects. The points per game increase is solid, with the Lakers big man scoring 8.9 a game. The notable eye-popping statistic is the percentage from the field. Hayes is shooting a ridiculous 79.6 percent to get those points.
The Doncic effect has been very real in making his new teammate an absolute force in the paint. This would not be the first time that Luka has done this either.
Doncic certainly got the most out of Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II, Dwight Powell, and all the other centers that had the fortunes of playing with the tall point guard. It was not too long ago that the Mavericks were alley-ooping their opponents to death in the 2024 NBA Playoffs.
Rob Pelinka and company will surely look to upgrade the frontcourt this offseason. The pitch of joining an offense with Doncic as the leader should be an easy sell to any incoming talent.
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