Patience — that is what the rumor mill is indicating will be required from Luka Doncic in seeing the Los Angeles Lakers properly retooled around him. What are the clear moves that can be identified as a part of that process, though?
That is what Jovan Buha questioned on a recent episode of his podcast. The idea of being cautious and waiting for the right opportunity is nice. However, there needs to be clear expectations set for how the Lakers put Doncic in the best position to contend for a title.
Buha said, "If you're going to stand pat and you're going to sell this vision of the future, ... you better execute it and you better have a crystal clear plan. I think that's what the front office is trying to figure out between now and the next three weeks."
Kicking the can down the road turns into a cycle of inaction without inevitably standing your ground and delivering at some point. The Lakers got a massive gift with acquiring Doncic. Their roster was not ready for him. If 2025-26 ends up as a wash, there better be a good reason for that down the line.
Retooling around Luka Doncic requires clarity the Lakers haven’t shown yet
The faults in trying to compete with Doncic right now are clear. The Lakers need shooting and defense around their superstar. They have neither. That was the blueprint that landed the Dallas Mavericks just a couple wins short of winning an NBA championship.
The Lakers' issues with guarding opposing teams have been covered extensively. Being as low in the defensive rankings as they are was going to catch up as a major discussion point eventually, and it has.
Seeing a team shoot as poorly from beyond the arc as the Lakers do is just as concerning. Doncic is typically a cheat code when it comes to positioning his teammates for easy 3-point looks. The Lakers rank towards the bottom of the NBA in percentages from downtown.
Rob Pelinka probably knows there are no easy fixes available for these issues before February. Even so, if there will be little to no attempt made now, there needs to be a definitive idea of what the Lakers do in June, July, and August to address that.
Who are the targets? What are the backup options? Is there enough to firmly build a contender for 2026-27? These are all things Doncic needs an answer to by the offseason. The Lakers owe him that.