Max Kellerman is no stranger to talking poorly about Luka Doncic's game. Now he believes Doncic already comes with a ceiling, and Los Angeles Lakers fans cannot believe it. He recently called Doncic a potential “dead-end player,” arguing that unless his defense changes, the Los Angeles Lakers will never win a championship with him.
The “dead-end player” label explained
Kellerman made the comments on Game Over with Max Kellerman and Rich Paul, where he did not soften the message. “If he refuses to ever move his feet on defense, you will never win a championship with Luka.” He also pointed back to the Dallas Mavericks, saying, “If the Mavericks can just stay healthy… Cooper Flagg is already a problem.”
That stance feels almost surreal when you remember how shocking the original trade was. When the Dallas Mavericks sent Doncic to the Lakers in a deal centered around Anthony Davis, the league was completely shell-shocked. Doncic was not just another star in Dallas. He was viewed as untouchable, the next franchise icon. He was sought out to be the new Dirk Nowitzki, someone who would never leave the team and eventually bring home a championship.
After the big trade, the Mavs struggled for the remainder of the season. Dallas ended up sliding into the lottery with only a 1.8 percent chance of landing the top pick and somehow beating the odds. The Mavericks used that pick to draft Cooper Flagg, who has delivered immediately. In his rookie year, he has been averaging 19.1 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 4.3 assists.
Still, that does not explain minimizing what Doncic has done in Los Angeles. Through 29 games this season, Doncic is averaging a league-best 33.3 points per game, along with 8 rebounds and 8.8 assists. He is carrying one of the largest offensive loads in the league and has firmly placed himself in the MVP conversation.
Defense remains the critique, and it is not a new one. Doncic is not known for his lateral quickness, but context matters. He handles nearly everything offensively, and the Lakers have not built a roster that allows him to conserve energy with dependable 3-and-D wings around him. That is a roster issue, not proof of a capped ceiling.
Kellerman’s argument also skips history. Luka Doncic is just 26 years old. LeBron James did not win his first championship until he was 27, and he is regarded by many as the greatest player of all time. Doncic has already reached the NBA Finals, doing so in 2024 against the Boston Celtics.
Cooper Flagg looks like the real deal, and Dallas may feel optimistic about its future. But calling Doncic a dead-end player is a stretch that ignores both his age and what he has already proven.