As far as the sport of basketball goes, Luka Doncic is the only megastar left in the city of Los Angeles. The long-awaited completion of Kawhi Leonard's trade from the Los Angeles Clippers back to the Toronto Raptors officially cemented that reality.
After the punishments were dropped and the Clippers begrudgingly had to accept them, things finally settled down for Los Angeles' little brother. Next on the to-do list was finally linking back up with the Raptors and recouping a bit of draft capital in dealing away Leonard. It came to pass.
The terms of the deal stayed the same for both sides, as reported by Shams Charania. After Leonard dodged all but a fine in the NBA's penalties regarding the scandal, the Raptors had more than enough reason to go get a superstar to pair with Scottie Barnes.
Leonard's trade coupled with LeBron James' earlier decision to leave as a free agent left Doncic alone and uncontested at the top of the basketball totem pole in Los Angeles. The result of that should be a spotlight that is brighter than it ever has been before.
Being the sole basketball megastar in Los Angeles puts all the attention on Luka Doncic
2026-27 was already expected to be a pressure-packed season for the Los Angeles Lakers. The current state of affairs will only amplify the amount of coverage that is bound to follow them and their megastar during the upcoming campaign.
The Clippers have essentially become an afterthought in Los Angeles. At the very least, that is the case when it comes to expecting a competitive on-court product. If they overachieve, that is a welcome surprise for them. Otherwise, the bar is set relatively low.
There will be no such kindness offered to the Lakers, who now carry the burden of being the lone watchable basketball team in the city. That status will be propped up by Doncic and his presence.
Leonard and the Clippers are an important factor as to how we got here, but LeBron's exit should not be overlooked. Sure, James was no longer the elite top-end player that he was in his prime. However, his legacy created a massive media spotlight around him.
That did not take Luka out of the fire entirely. However, there was a part of that which shielded Doncic to a certain capacity. Without that added protection, the Slovenian superstar is — beyond any doubt — front and center of one of the biggest markets in the NBA.
None of this is to say Doncic will not hold up. The six-time All-NBA First Teamer is more than expected to. It just means all the eyes will be firmly on him as he puts his best foot forward in doing so.
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