The Los Angeles Lakers ruffled feathers when they made the bold decision to move on from LeBron James after seven seasons. Though there were some who questioned the Lakers' decision, Luka Doncic delivered a 52-point masterpiece on Oct. 25 that showed exactly why it was time to move on.
Though James deserves ample credit for sacrificing his ego and embracing his role as a No. 3 in 2025-26, unleashing Doncic required the Lakers to build a team that actually suited him—and James no longer fit the bill.
Even at 41 years of age, James remains a high-impact player who can play any number of roles. He proved as much by leading the Lakers to a postseason series win in 2025-26 and adapting to his new responsibilities as a third option during the regular season.
For as impressive as that may be, James wasn't the ideal player for the role that the Lakers need their forwards to play—and replacing him with lesser talent who fit within the optimal parameters was thus essential.
Doncic's eruption on Oct. 25 against the Utah Jazz was proof of why such a change was not only wise, but necessary. He's suddenly surrounded by players who fit his preferred style of play, all of whom go all-out on defense and can expend all but endless energy as they run up and down the floor.
That all led to Doncic posting 52 points, 10 assists, eight rebounds, and two steals in what may have been his best performance as a Laker—and yet, the type of performance the Dallas Mavericks came to all but expect from him.
Luka Doncic's 52-point gem was a result of Lakers building for him
James' willingness to sacrifice his ego deserves praise and credit, but he still posted a usage rate of 26.2 in 2025-26. Though the Lakers have a mountain of intriguing players on their roster, no one other than Doncic and improving co-star Austin Reaves should come close to that figure in 2026-27.
With this in mind, the Lakers can build the type of offense that Doncic prefers with two offensive focal points and a cast of teammates who primarily work off of them.
Yes, James could've conceivably cut back on his touches, stabilized his jumper, and played with more intensity on the defensive end of the floor. The fact remains that he'll turn 42 in December, however, and carries proverbial weight as an all-time great with legions of supporters just champing at the bit to complain when his team loses and he doesn't get enough touches.
Instead of subjecting Doncic to that type of environment and banking on James making significant changes in his 40s, the Lakers went for younger players who simply fit their system.
The result is Doncic being unleashed on the NBA in a high-voltage role that sees him do things like score 52 points in a single game. He's clearly had great showings in the past, but this was the epitome of the appeal of the Lakers' new system. It's built on feeding Doncic with great volume and complementing him with players who plug in the proverbial holes around him.
Parting with James was always going to be controversial, but Doncic only needed three games to show why the Lakers were right to finally build a roster that caters to his preferred style of play.
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