The Los Angeles Lakers just had Luka Doncic join Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal as the franchise’s only scoring champions since the NBA-ABA merger in 1976. That title should force the Lakers to build their roster around number 77 immediately. Doncic is in his prime and won the scoring title for the second time in three years. Kobe and Shaq each have two scoring titles, but Luka is missing a crucial piece of his Hall of Fame resume.
Doncic hasn’t won a championship. He led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2024, but the Boston Celtics defeated Dallas for the ring. Kobe won five rings with the Lakers. Shaq won four championships, including three in LA. The only other Lakers to win the scoring title are George Mikan and Jerry West. All four winners before Luka have won rings with the purple and gold, and West is the only player without four or more championships.
The Lakers roster simply isn’t talented enough around Luka to win a championship. Fans found that out when the Thunder swept LA in the second round of the playoffs. They need to build the roster to maximize Luka, which means adding more shooting and defense.
Lakers should build around Luka Doncic after his second scoring title
Doncic became the 20th player in NBA history to win multiple scoring titles. His first came with the Mavericks in 2024. It was the eighth season in which a Laker has won the scoring crown. Doncic has a chance to match Kobe in 2027. George Mikan holds the Lakers’ record with three scoring titles.
Luka is on pace to be one of the 25 best players of all time, but he needs a championship to climb higher. Number 77 is committed to the Lakers. He has fully embraced being the face of the franchise since the blockbuster trade.
Los Angeles has not held up their end of the bargain. Doncic has been asking for a rim-rolling center capable of protecting the rim since he arrived. The Lakers need more shooting around him and must find players who embrace their roles. Luka wants Austin Reaves to be his co-star. It is the front office's responsibility to find the right pieces around those two.
The Lakers are an iconic franchise known for winning titles. They are searching for banner 18 and want Doncic to be the one who delivers it. He has already joined Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal in the elite scoring company. Now, Luka is eager to win. He wants a ring and to fulfill a childhood dream.
The Los Angeles Lakers have to change the roster around him to help Luka Doncic achieve that goal. Nobody is questioning the two-time scoring champ. He’s won the EuroLeague as a teenager and helped Slovenia get to the Olympic semifinals. Luka is one of the best to ever play the game, but he can’t win an NBA title alone. This latest accomplishment should have the Lakers going all-in around Doncic.
The time is now. Luka is in his prime, and the Lakers can win it all next season. The Knicks just did it, and Rob Pelinka should have been taking notes. Let’s hope LA can make the leap and get number 18.
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