The Los Angeles Lakers have one of the most captivating yet polarizing talents in the NBA leading their roster. Luka Doncic is capable of taking over games in special and spectacular ways, but his flaws have become common knowledge amongst basketball fans.
Despite being equipped with all of the details of Doncic's strengths and weaknesses, the Lakers have yet to surround him with the three most important archetypes: Rim protectors, shooters, and athletic defenders.
Doncic is an offensive maestro, capable of orchestrating world-class success as an isolation scorer, playmaker, and even off-ball shooter when his mind is set on it. For as overblown as his defensive woes may be, there are still concerns about his overall level of defensive consistency that balance his strengths out.
As such, the team success that Doncic has been a part of has typically relied on his teammates' ability to space the floor, defend the wings, and protect the paint.
The obvious counterargument is that every team needs to be able to check those boxes to win in the NBA. It's simply especially true when discussing a downhill player who lives in isolation and is still prone to bouts of inconsistency on defense.
Unfortunately, the Lakers have failed to provide Doncic with any of the three key areas of support he needs to maximize his individual potential—and thus put the team in the best position to contend.
Lakers need shooting, athletic wing defenders, rim protection
Los Angeles ranks No. 8 in the NBA in offensive rating, which certainly implies there's a borderline elite level of play being produced. The truth that threatens to derail the offense at any given moment, however, is that the Lakers rank among the worst three-point shooting teams in the NBA.
Los Angeles is currently No. 23 in three-point field goals made per game, No. 24 in three-point field goal percentage, and No. 28 in wide-open three-point field goals converted per contest.
To make matters worse, the Lakers rank in the bottom half of the NBA in three-point field goals allowed per game. They're also No. 24 in opponent three-point field goal percentage. Both statistics reveal how difficult it's been for JJ Redick's squad to cover ground on defense.
If that weren't enough, Los Angeles is No. 28 in opponent field goal percentage within five feet of the rim—and only the 15-29 Utah Jazz and 12-32 Sacramento Kings have been worse.
Each of those statistics is indicative of how the Lakers have fallen short from a personnel perspective. The perimeter lacks athletic defenders who thrive at the point of attack, as well as high-level catch-and-shoot options who move well without the ball.
The interior, meanwhile, continues to rely on a revolving door of minimum-level salaries and buyout market talent with inherently polarizing tendencies.
Perhaps changes can be made at the trade deadline, but the loss of further draft capital would be difficult to justify. Los Angeles will already be without first-round picks in 2027 and 2029, and doesn't have a second-rounder until 2032. With this in mind, the 2026 offseason is the most realistic target.
If the Lakers hope to maximize the Doncic era, then they must ensure that they utilize their resources between now and then to improve in three vital areas they've unfortunately failed to address.