Despite being under contract, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic is entering one of the most important offseasons of his career. The 27-year-old will be an influential figure in Los Angeles' first period of free agency with meaningful cap space since they traded for him in February of 2025.
Doncic minced no words when asked what he needs alongside him to perform at an optimal level, highlighting shooters and pick-and-roll big men in a possibly inadvertent message to Rob Pelinka.
Doncic and the Lakers won 53 games in 2025-26, but the 2026 offseason is expected to include drastic changes nevertheless. Los Angeles is in need of roster upgrades and has reportedly made promises to its franchise player to accommodate his preferred style of play.
During a recent interview with Drafteados, Doncic answered a question about what type of teammates help him realize his potential. He highlighted three-point shooters and pick-and-roll big men.
- What qualities do the players next to you need to have so you can perform at your level?
— Luka Updates (@LukaUpdates) June 16, 2026
“I think mainly shooters and a big man who can run the pick-and-roll and jump so I can pass to him. If I have shooters, they won’t double me as much and it helps me out.”
YT/DrafteadosNBA pic.twitter.com/pi3tOAuxj3
With the Lakers needing players who fit both archetypes, one can't help but feel as though this was a clear message that the front office must heed.
Luka Doncic highlights shooters, P&R bigs as ideal teammate archetypes
Doncic reached the 2024 NBA Finals with a team that consisted of players who fit the exact description he offered. Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively II, and P.J. Washington, for instance, were all athletic lob targets with whom he ran the pick and roll.
Doncic was also flanked by six different players who averaged at least 1.0 three-point field goal made on 35.0 percent shooting or better from beyond the arc.
That included co-star Kyrie Irving, who buried 41.1 percent of his 7.3 three-point field goals per game in 2023-24. That may very well send a message of its own to Austin Reaves that he must improve his shooting from the 36.0 percent mark he posted in 2025-26 to best fit what Doncic needs.
Doncic's past success should also encourage Rob Pelinka to flood the roster with shooters, particularly after Los Angeles ranked dead last in catch-and-shoot three-point field goals made in 2025-26.
The good news is that the Lakers will have multiple opportunities to make significant roster upgrades this summer. They have a first-round draft pick and could have in the range of $50 million in cap space depending on how they handle their cap holds.
As a downhill player who ranked No. 5 in the NBA in points via drives per game and thrives as a drive-and-kick player, it's time for the Lakers to honor Doncic's style of play and personnel requests.
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