If the Los Angeles Lakers want to reach another level, Luka Doncic has to change the way he plays. It is that simple.
The ball can’t live in his hands from the opening tip to the final seconds of the game when the buzzer goes off. That will not work on this roster, not with LeBron James and Austin Reaves both capable of creating, scoring, and setting the tone.
Doncic has made a career out of being able to orchestrate the game. While on the Dallas Mavericks, it was clear that every action starts with him. Whether it would be a pick-and-roll, a mismatch, a slow breakdown of a defense until it gives him exactly what he wants.
Lakers need different Luka Doncic to win big
While yes, when he can do it on a surgical and brilliant level, it is important to also note that doing that strategy can be extremely taxing. That is why Doncic needs to change up his style in order for the purple and gold to succeed.
Jovan Buha put it perfectly on Buha’s Block: “Part of it will be having Luka play off the ball a little bit more. We saw some of that with Slovenia. We did see some of that last year. They had that chase 77 action where he would come off a couple pin downs.”
Doncic has already made a major transformation and now they will need a Doncic that is moving without the ball, cutting off screens, creating chaos instead of waiting for it. When he is in constant control, the offense can become predictable.
Predictability kills creativity, even when it comes from one of the best offensive players alive.
Buha added, “Having less of a workload on Luka where he can still have the ball in crunch time and still have the ball to close most possessions.”
That is the balance point that needs to be found. Doncic does not need to be the engine for 48 minutes; he just needs to be the closer when the game demands it.
Implementing a small shift like this could change everything. It keeps one of the best players in the league, LeBron, and a contract-year Reaves, with something to prove, get more engaged.
It can open the floor. It lets Doncic conserve energy for when it matters most. Most importantly, it might even help him lock in more on defense, a part of his game where he has struggled in his career.
We saw a preview of this while he was on the Mavericks when Kyrie Irving arrived there to play with him. Doncic had to play off-ball, and while it was not always smooth, it worked in stretches. The same concept fits perfectly in Los Angeles.