It took a season-and-a-half but the Los Angeles Lakers have finally completed an offseason during which they had the resources to build a team that fits Luka Doncic. They prioritized defense, shooting, and offensive versatility as they constructed a roster that suits Doncic's strengths and weaknesses alike.
Though the Lakers' on-paper defensive improvement is intriguing, it also means there are no more excuses for Doncic to not pull his weight on that end of the floor.
Los Angeles invested four-year contracts in interior anchor Walker Kessler and perimeter defender Quentin Grimes. Both will be trusted for more than defense, but they project to take significant pressure off of Doncic in that regard.
Kessler is a top-tier rim protector and deterrent who can keep opponents out of the paint, while Grimes specializes in picking up quicker guards and making life harder for them.
That should make it easier for Doncic to play the passing lanes, as well as for him to avoid matchups that he isn't ideally suited for. The key to any great defense, however, is for all five players on the court to buy in and accept some level of responsibility on that end of the floor.
Doncic doesn't need to become an All-Defense honoree to bring the Lakers up to par in that regard, but he must be willing to do what the situation calls for—and that may very well include defending players who are around his size.
Lakers surrounded Luka with defenders—and now he needs to buy in
As it stands, the four most likely starters on the Lakers' roster are Doncic, Grimes, Kessler, and Austin Reaves. Grimes and Kessler are proven defenders, and Reaves quietly ranked in the 97th percentile in off-ball chaser defense in 2025-26, per Basketball Index.
The final spot is all but entirely up in the air, however, which could call on Doncic to provide support when the Lakers take on teams with taller wings or power forwards who will have a harder time bullying his 230-pound frame than the thinner options Los Angeles seems to be considering at the 4.
With head JJ Redick taking a unique approach to ruling out Jake LaRavia and Sandro Mamukelashvili as potential starters, the list of candidates has dwindled. It's now seemingly occupied by the likes of Cameron Carr, Adou Thiero, Matisse Thybulle, and Ziaire Williams—and each have their share of concerns.
If Carr and Thiero's inexperience, Thybulle's injury history, or Williams' thin frame limit their efficacy, then Doncic must be willing to step up against players in his height and weight range on defense.
Even more important than filling voids will be for Doncic to be disciplined in his rotations. He can take chances as a defensive playmaker—and he should after ranking No. 6 in steals per game in 2025-26—but he can't fall victim to the ball-watching tendencies that have hindered his and the Lakers' defensive consistency.
Thankfully, if Doncic buys in, commits to his rotations, and at least plays strong team defense, then the Lakers' offseason overhaul should yield significant results and a better shot at contending.
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