Picking one Laker to win every individual award this season

The chances of the Los Angeles Lakers doing a clean sweep of the individual awards at the end of the 2025-26 NBA season are largely improbable, but technically not totally impossible. With that in mind, why not assess who was the best chance at winning each of the major NBA awards?

There are some choices that will immediately stick out as obvious. Others will need a little more convincing to sell the idea. There will even be some that are monstrous long shots. Figuring out what classifies under each category is certainly a part of the fun too for this type of process.

Most Valuable Player: Luka Doncic

Typically, the NBA MVP award would be saved for last in the interests of building intrigue. However, this is not one of those instances. This is a time when the obvious one needs to be out of the way first.

This is Luka Doncic's award to lose. That is the case not just among his teammates, but across the entire NBA. Doncic already has the narrative heading into 2025-26.

The Lakers superstar needs to win this season too, in order to stay on pace with the generational talents of his era. With talks of revenge, redemption, and rebirth, the story should be easy to write for Luka to hoist his first MVP trophy. The numbers and team results just need to back it up.

Coach of the Year: JJ Redick

Let's get another obvious one out of the way too. JJ Redick is the default choice for this award.

The Lakers head coach garnered some Coach of the Year consideration in his first season. Redick received five third place votes in the 2024-25 race.

Redick will have plenty of work to do in 2025-26 to figure out how the Lakers can firmly establish themselves as contenders. His superstar duo will need to be maximized offensively. His defense will need to be reimagined.

If the Lakers coach can do both things, Los Angeles should be positioned well in the standings. If, or when they are, Redick will be given a lot of credit for helping figure that formula out.

Rookie of the Year: Adou Thiero

This one is pretty straightforward. The Lakers really do not have another good candidate apart from Adou Thiero.

There is a strong possibility that Los Angeles fans will not see much of Thiero to begin with in 2025-26. However, perhaps the Lakers' second-round pick can prove to be further along in his development than expected.

If that is the case, maybe Thiero works his way into the rotation. If expectations are exceeded enough to carve out a major role by year's end, the athletic rookie could have a chance. However, Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and company provide tough competition in the category.

Sixth Man of the Year: Rui Hachimura

The idea here would be either Marcus Smart or Jake LaRavia manage to force Rui Hachimura out of the starting lineup pretty quickly. If Hachimura is allowed to operate off the bench, the mold in which the Lakers forward is built should be advantageous for this award.

Sixth Man of the Year often goes to someone who can bring a good deal of offense when the second unit comes in. Hachimura ticks the boxes of being capable.

Doncic should be asked to be the superstar who leads the second units more in 2025-26. Hachimura can feed off the easy offense provided, while sprinkling in his own. That is a recipe for success.

Clutch Player of the Year: Luka Doncic

There is a healthy debate here between Doncic and LeBron James. Which one of the two alphas will be the one who is given the ball in the clutch and asked to deliver?

Both are certainly more than capable. More often than not, that responsibility should fall on the shoulders of the Slovenian superstar. Doncic brings a similar type of killer instinct to late stretches of ball games that one would be forgiven for seeing shades of Kobe Bryant in his game.

LeBron will certainly be a massive asset as well, but the offense will undoubtedly keep shifting more towards Luka. That should allow him a more definitive role as the crunch time leader.

Most Improved Player: Jake LaRavia

LaRavia fits the spirit of what the Most Improved Player award should be. If the Lakers wing delivers on upping his production in a bigger role for his new team, that is exactly the type of player who should be in contention for this trophy.

LaRavia averaged 6.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 0.9 steals during 20.4 minutes per game in 2024-25, splitting time between the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings. If the Lakers signing finds his way into the starting lineup and is able to feed off Doncic and James, those numbers should skyrocket, making his case an easy one to argue.

Defensive Player of the Year: LeBron James

People who did not watch much of the Lakers in 2024-25 are still under this weird impression that LeBron is not a strong defender. They completely missed his defensive renaissance last season.

If James were to win the award, the all-time great could eliminate a major blemish from his career and forget all about the Defensive Player of the Year that was lost to Marc Gasol in 2013. It would also make him the oldest player to win the award, passing Dikembe Mutombo's mark of 34 years old.

Should the Lakers unexpectedly emerge as a top defensive unit in 2025-26, James will undoubtedly be the one steering that ship. It would present voters with a unique opportunity to crown LeBron one last time with a major individual accolade.