The Los Angeles Lakers have experienced the highs and lows of the NBA trade deadline. They peaked at adding Luka Doncic in one of the most stunning deals in Association history, but found themselves in a proverbial valley when the Mark Williams move fell through.
Despite the concerns over how the Lakers plan to address the void at center, Doncic and the Lakers are as confident as ever in what they can accomplish.
Los Angeles has constructed one of the most captivating rosters in the NBA. Doncic and LeBron James are genuine superstars flanked by a perimeter defined by depth, balance, and the rising profile of playmaking guard Austin Reaves.
According to Jovan Buha of The Athletic, the strength of the roster has Doncic believing that the championship window has already opened for the Lakers.
Luka Doncic: “Our goal is to win the championship. That’s our only goal. And I think we have the team for that.”
— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) February 23, 2025
There's much to be said about the areas in which the question marks remain, but Doncic has every reason to believe he can lead Los Angeles to the NBA Finals.
Luka Doncic believes Lakers can win a championship in 2025
Doncic made this comment riding high off of one of the biggest wins in recent Lakers history. Los Angeles defeated the Denver Nuggets 123-100, with Doncic producing his best game in the purple and gold at 32 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, four steals, and a block.
It was the first time since 2022 that the Lakers were able to defeat the Nuggets in the regular season, as well as just their second win over Denver in 15 tries.
Having changed the essence of the rivalry between the Lakers and Nuggets, Doncic has every reason for confidence. The team is firing on all cylinders, boasting a 34-21 record and thriving on both ends of the floor.
That's resulted in Los Angeles going 16-7 and posting the fifth-best net rating in the NBA since Jan. 1—momentum that Doncic is now helping to build upon.
Losing Anthony Davis is far from easy to overcome, especially with his impact on defense. The Lakers' perimeter quality has improved dramatically, however, with Doncic's arrival giving the team a world-class scorer and playmaker to lead the charge.
The arrival of Dorian Finney-Smith and the return of Jarred Vanderbilt have also resulted in a significant increase in defensive consistency.
Perhaps the Lakers' lack of ideal depth at center will prove to be its undoing once the postseason begins. Doncic and James have all of the tools to be the best star duo in the NBA, however, and Reaves is playing at an All-Star level in his own right.
Considering Doncic is less than a year removed from leading the Dallas Mavericks to the 2024 NBA Finals, it's hard to argue against him doing the same for the Lakers in 2025.