Internal improvements can often be the best kind on a year-to-year basis for an NBA team. All of the Los Angeles Lakers' offseason moves in 2025 will pale in comparison to what Luka Doncic has given the team through the dedication to his body during this summer.
That fact is so undeniable that it even had Kevin O'Connor immediately addressing the matter on a recent episode of his show for Yahoo! Sports. Before getting into any of the offseason roster changes, the NBA analyst tipped his hat to the Lakers superstar.
O'Connor said, "The biggest acquisition is probably skinny Luka. If Luka can maintain being in good shape from October through April, and take that into the postseason, if this is his first MVP season, anytime you have a player of that caliber, you've got a shot."
Doncic is a player who feels overdue for the first MVP of his impressive young career. With the way everything has been lining up for the Slovenian superstar, the Lakers are poised to be the big beneficiaries of Luka's incredible form ahead of the 2025-26 campaign.
Luka Doncic already proving just how dangerous Lakers can be
There was a time during Doncic's run through the 2024 NBA Playoffs where the question began to surface of whether the former Dallas Mavericks superstar was in contention for being the best player in the world. That Luka Magic has not existed in the same form since.
Injuries and an unexpected detour in his career path made the 2024-25 NBA season a rather forgettable one, from an individual performance standpoint, for the 26-year-old. Doncic never looked quite right last season.
All the belief needed in that no longer being the case can be found in his EuroBasket 2025 performances. Doncic has looked the part of the best player at the tournament.
Going for the MVP? ✨
— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) September 4, 2025
Doncic's Group Phase averages are jaw-dropping.#EuroBasket pic.twitter.com/oh0ko90xn3
Through his first five games, Luka has averaged 32.4 points, 8.0 rebounds, 8.4 assists, 3.2 steals, and 0.8 blocks per game. Doncic has led his national team to a 3-2 record through the Group Phase, locking up a spot for Slovenia in the Round of 16.
One could easily argue that Luka's numbers look more impressive due to the heavy load he is forced to carry for his country as its lone NBA player. However, the juxtaposing position to that would highlight just how well Doncic has handled that responsibility.
The Lakers superstar point guard will have far more support in Los Angeles when training camp starts. If Doncic can raise Slovenia in the way he has, it is difficult not to wonder just what can be done for the Lakers.