ESPN's NBA insiders recently released their Summer Forecast for the 2026-27 season. As a part of their evaluation of each team's future, the Eastern and Western Conference standings were projected in full. The Los Angeles Lakers found themselves at 45-37 and the No. 6 seed in the West.
Though the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, and Minnesota Timberwolves are all fairly projected as 50-win teams, the Lakers are being undervalued—and Luka Doncic has somehow become underrated.
Doncic has been a walking 50-win season for the better part of his NBA career. He certainly hasn't been alone on those teams, but he's one of the most dominant offensive players in the world and has been known to tip the scales in his team's favor as far as pursuing 50 wins is concerned.
Doncic led the Dallas Mavericks to 50-plus wins in 2021-22 and 2023-24, and helped the Lakers achieve the feat in 2024-25 and 2025-26.
There's clearly an exception to the rule: 2022-23. When the success rate is 80 percent, however, then it becomes difficult to justify betting against a player of Duncic's caliber sustaining their success. That's particularly true when one considers the fact that Los Angeles has built a roster that better suits his skill set and preferred style of play than it did in 2025-26.
It may not be the most star-studded roster Los Angeles has ever assembled, but the Lakers have a proven pair of co-stars, a winning head coach, and enough firepower to win 50 games once again.
Despite Luka's 50-win history, ESPN projects Lakers to go 45-37
There are certainly question marks scattered throughout the Lakers' new-look rotation. Walker Kessler, for instance, missed 77 games in 2025-26 and 24 in 2024-25. If availability is an issue in 2026-27, then Los Angeles could face an uphill battle.
It's also worth questioning whether or not Quentin Grimes and Sandro Mamukelashvili can provide the expected value after they signed four-year deals worth a combined $112 million.
The reality of the Lakers' rotation, however, is that it's built to support Doncic. They've added athletic wings who can defend, catch-and-shoot specialists who can space the floor, and big men who can work the pick and roll, and create second chances.
Even with valid concerns about injury histories and cap hits, however, the reality remains that Los Angeles has fielded a team that ideally complements a dominant force with a proven co-star.
Doncic and Austin Reaves have question marks on offense, but they've already proven they can lead Los Angeles to success. Between the 2,269 possessions they shared the court for in 2025-26, they outscored opponents by 9.0 points per 100 possessions. Across the 1,106 possessions they played without LeBron James on the court, they outscored teams by 8.3 points per 100 possessions.
Despite Doncic's well-documented history of leading teams to 50 wins and the manner in which the Lakers built their roster to fit him, however, ESPN has the Lakers at 45-37 in 2026-27. Bulletin board material acquired.
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