RSS Lakers Team Notes

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Austin Reaves Credits Rajon Rondo As First Veteran Mentor

An extremely important thing for a young player’s development when they enter the league is having a veteran teammate who can really show them the way both on and off the court. Not only during practices and games, but also proper ways to work out, diet and money management, amongst other things. And Los Angeles Lakers guard Austin Reaves was fortunate enough to have one of the best and brightest minds in NBA history on the team when he joined.

Of course, most thoughts would go immediately towards LeBron James and there is no doubt that he has had an immense impact on Reaves’ career. But the first veteran to really take Reaves under his wing as a rookie was Rajon Rondo.

After winning a title with the Lakers in 2020, Rondo returned to the team in 2022 as a veteran voice in the locker room. And in an interview with Franklyn Calle of SLAM Magazine, Reaves credited Rondo with really helping him with his film study as a rookie:

“Rondo was probably the first one. Frank [Vogel] pulled me to the side and was like, Anything you have a question for, if you don’t feel comfortable talking to the staff or whatever, talk to him. Because everybody knows his IQ for the game. He studies the game unlike anybody else. So, I sat by him on the plane. We would have a game one night, and the next morning Rondo would ask me, Hey, what happened at 5:45 in the first quarter? And if I didn’t know, it wasn’t good. He definitely taught me to watch film and do all the little things. So, he was probably the first one. And then obviously Bron was someone else that was super helpful—every year, but really that first year. Anything that he could help me with, he was willing to do.”

There are few players who would be a better candidate to study film and really get into the details of games than Rondo. He truly saw things that most other players didn’t and for him to impart his knowledge and wisdom on to a young Reaves has paid massive dividends.

Many often bemoan the older players on the end of the bench who rarely play, but they serve an important purpose and what Rondo did for a young Reaves as a rookie on the Lakers is still paying off today.

Austin Reaves felt great physically going into All-Star break​

What would’ve been Austin Reaves’ first All-Star season for the Lakers has been hampered due to injury. But Reaves made it known that he felt great physically going into the All-Star break after dealing with a calf injury.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-austin-reaves-credits-rajon-rondo-as-first-veteran-mentor/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: LeBron James ‘Very Intrigued’ By Anthony Davis Trade To Wizards

Anthony Davis made a massive impact in his time with the Los Angeles Lakers, helping the team win a championship in 2020 and solidifying himself as one of the NBA’s best big men. It wasn’t easy for the Lakers to deal him away, but the opportunity to acquire Luka Doncic was one the franchise obviously couldn’t pass up.

Unfortunately for Davis, his time with the Dallas Mavericks didn’t last long and was filled with injuries not only to him, but also to superstar teammate Kyrie Irving. Additionally, his presence in Dallas also cast a shadow over the franchise in the eyes of fans who were still angry about the Doncic trade and the front office eventually chose to move on from Davis, trading him to the Washington Wizards at this year’s trade deadline.

His addition alongside Trae Young, whom Washington also acquired via trade this year makes the Wizards one of the more interesting Eastern Conference squads for next season as both stars will likely sit out the rest of this season. But LeBron James is very interested to see how Davis and Young meld with the young players in Washington next season, via the “Mind the Game” podcast with Steve Nash:

“Very interesting. I’m very intrigued and I’m very interested to see what happens and how this all comes about obviously next year, it’s kind ok towards next year… Yeah, I think AD’s out, that’s what the talks of and I think it’s already been said maybe that Trae is not gonna play this year as well. But I’m interested to see what they do and how it all comes together. With AD obviously we know the talent level is out of this world. And Trae with his ability to play pick-and-roll game, his ability to shoot the ball, his lob threat. I love the young kid from France that they have on their team too, [Alex] Sarr. We just played them two weeks ago great touch, great feel for the game. Love the kid [Kyshawn] George as well, young kid pretty good player. And then also the rookie kid they got from Texas, Tre Johnson. They have some pieces and I think for the first time in a few years we can say that Washington has grabbed some pieces. So it’s gonna be interesting to see what happens and how they come together with a training camp, maybe with a offseason maybe guys get together we’ll see what happens with that. See how motivated Trae and AD is to prove Dallas and L.A. and Atlanta, we know what we’re capable of. But you know every year is different. You gotta look into the future, but those are two All-Stars.”

The combination of established veteran All-Stars and very promising young talent is certainly one to keep an eye on. Both Davis and Young have made deep postseason runs and players like Sarr, George, Johnson, Bilal Coulibaly and Bub Carrington all bring something different to the table and could be enhanced playing next to Young and Davis.

Whether Davis can get back to that peak form that he showed early in his time with the Lakers remains to be seen, but LeBron and many others will be keeping a close eye on how he looks with the Wizards next season.

Lakers’ LeBron James discusses what being named All-Star for a 22nd time means to him​

LeBron James is coming off his record 22nd NBA All-Star appearance and he spoke about what being named to the team meant for him, calling it humbling and a blessing.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-lebron-james-very-intrigued-by-anthony-davis-trade-to-wizards/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Injury Updates: Luka Doncic Expected To Play Vs. Clippers, Austin Reaves Off Minutes Restriction

After missing the Los Angeles Lakers’ last four games due to a hamstring strain, superstar guard Luka Doncic is expected to suit up on Friday night against the Los Angeles Clippers, as head coach JJ Redick confirmed after practice on Thursday.

Additionally, Redick also revealed that guard Austin Reaves will be off his minutes restriction.

“Austin won’t have a minutes restriction, and as of 35-45 seconds ago, it looks like we’ll have everyone available tomorrow,” Redick said on Thursday.

The Doncic news shouldn’t come as too much of a surprise as it had previously been reported that he should be good to go after the All-Star break. His brief appearance in the All-Star Game itself only furthered that thinking and he said he felt good after playing five minutes on Sunday.

The Lakers were able to hold strong without their best player, going 2-2 in those games with only a blowout loss to the San Antonio Spurs in which Reaves, LeBron James, Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart all sat out as well, being a sore point.

Doncic is enjoying one of the best seasons of his career in his first full year with the Lakers as he leads the NBA at 32.8 points per game and ranks third in assists at 8.6. Doncic, James and Reaves have all played at an All-Star level this season, but have rarely been able to share the court together. Thankfully, that looks set to change coming out of the All-Star break.

Reaves returned from his calf injury a few weeks ago but had been on a minutes restriction of around 25 minutes, coming off the bench the last five games. Now that the restriction has been lifted, however, he will likely be back in the starting lineup.

This is the healthiest the Lakers have been all season long and now head coach JJ Redick will be able to get a good feel on what this team is capable of and be able to find the right lineups and rotations to get the best out of this group.

Whether the Lakers are true championship contenders has been a question hanging over this team all season long. They have maintained one of the better records in the Western Conference despite so many injury issues, but their performances in many of their losses has been concerning. But with Doncic and Reaves healthy and ready to go, the Lakers are set to show the rest of the league that they can compete with anybody and that starts Friday night.

Lakers’ Rui Hachimura opens up on feeling of trade deadline passing​

Something else that should help the Lakers lock in is the passing of the trade deadline as players no longer have to worry about whether they will still be on the team. Rui Hachimura recently spoke on dealing with the rumors as a member of the Lakers and feels this team is now ready for anything that comes at them.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-inj...ippers-austin-reaves-off-minutes-restriction/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: JJ Redick Breaks Down Zone Defense Usage

Despite all the injuries the Los Angeles Lakers have endured during the 2025-26 season, head coach JJ Redick has managed to keep the team afloat. Redick himself struggled to assess the first half of the season due to players being in and out, but did acknowledge they have been making some progress.

The Lakers enter the second half of the season with a 33-21 record, good for fifth place in the Western Conference.

Redick has had to lean on his star trio to get Los Angeles’ offense going, but defensively the team is still a work in progress.

Recently, Redick and the Lakers have incorporated more zone defense looks against teams and he broke down why he thinks it’s been working.

“I think it starts with setting up our defense and just eating up some clock,” Redick said. “We looked this morning, we did a bunch of stuff with our analytics group. It’s not like teams are vastly underperforming from the midrange or from three. I think some of the underperformance from three has to do with just breaking up a little bit of the flow of the game if that’s what you mean by throwing them for a loop. I think just the rhythm and running your sets that you’re running…some teams run their sets, some teams run their zone offense.

“It just depends on the team, but it’s been a good tool for us and we recognize that we’re gonna have to plan man at points, we’re gonna have to play 15 at points and switch one through five, we’re gonna have to play some zone at points, and we’re gonna have to put two on the ball at some point versus certain players. Like we did against Jamal Murray when we played Denver the last time. I think with this group it’s not gonna be one thing. We’ve gotta continue to be adaptable and search for the right answer in the middle of the game.”

Redick also acknowledged that this year’s zone defense seems to be their version of man defense last year.

“Last year our man was zone and this year our zone is man, so it’s not incredibly complicated,” he said.

As Redick noted, the Lakers will have to switch up their coverages depending on matchups but for now, there’s no reason to move away from a zone defense that is at least slowing down opponents.

JJ Redick not taking LeBron James for granted​

LeBron James is turning in another fine season in Year 23, an unprecedented feat that a former player like JJ Redick can appreciate. James continues to be an outlier in NBA lore which is why Redick isn’t talking him for granted.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-jj-redick-breaks-down-zone-defense-usage/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Injury Update: LeBron James Available To Play Vs. Clippers

The Los Angeles Lakers released an updated injury report for Friday night’s matchup against the L.A. Clippers and LeBron James has been upgraded to available. The Lakers originally downgraded the 41-year-old to questionable earlier in the day due to left knee soreness.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick revealed pregame that James woke up feeling sore, which is why he was downgraded to questionable. After going through his usual workout routine to test it out though, it was determined that James would be able to give it ago.

That means that the Lakers will have their fully healthy roster available for really the first time all season.

James will be worth monitoring throughout the night, however, as the hope is he makes it out of the game without any further issues.

As Los Angeles prepares for a potentially frantic race to the finish line, Redick needs to make sure every player is healthy down the stretch, so it makes sense to be cautious with LeBron and manage his workload if he is not feeling 100%.

In addition to James being available, Austin Reaves is off of a minutes restriction and Luka Doncic remains the league’s leading scorer as he returns from a four-game absence before the break.

After acquiring Doncic, the Lakers were granted a rare circumstance of having three unselfish on-ball creators. That means that one or two of those stars should be capable of holding it down while others miss time due to injury, but the real vision was for them all to share the court together, which they will do against the Clippers.

As a whole, the Lakers yet to see what it is like to have his Big 3 on the court together for an extended stretch. The hope coming out of the All-Star break was to have the Lakers hit the ground running and build on-court chemistry, and now they have an opportunity to do that.

Seeing how Los Angeles comes out of the break can be a sign of what’s to come, so the Lakers need to take care of business against a Clippers team on the second night of a back-to-back to start the second half on a high note.

Rui Hachimura: people won’t appreciate LeBron James until he retires​

LeBron James is polarizing figure when it comes to his standing as an all-time great. Many have him as the greatest player ever and some do not want to entertain it.

Regardless, James remains a one-of-one talent and there will never be another player like him. Rui Hachimura shares that sentiment, believing people won’t appreciate the Lakers star until he retires and is out of the limelight.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-injury-update-lebron-james-available-to-play-vs-clippers/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: LeBron James Explains How Knee Soreness Began & Desire To Play Through It

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers opened up the second half of the regular season with a win over the L.A. Clippers, and for really the first time all year, their whole roster was healthy and available.

That almost wasn’t the case as earlier in the day, James was downgraded to questionable with left knee soreness. He warmed up and was eventually able to play, but didn’t look like his usual self as only had 13 points on 5-of-13 shooting to go along with three rebounds and 11 assists.

Lakers head coach JJ Redick revealed after the game that James was also dealing with a migraine in addition to the knee issue.

When LeBron was discussing his ailments, he revealed that the knee injury happened in practice on Thursday.

“It happened at practice yesterday, during our scrimmage,” he said. “ went up for a dunk [and] came down pretty good. But a couple minutes into the scrimmage after that, I started getting a little soreness and started getting a little tight. Yeah, that’s what happened.”

Even though he wasn’t at 100%, James wanted to play and make an impact for his team.

“If I’m gonna play, I gotta make something happen. gotta be productive for the team and do what I can do,” the 41-year-old said.

It was a close game throughout with the Lakers pulling ahead in the final minutes to secure the victory. LeBron credited their defense and also praised Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves for their play.

“We got a couple more stops. They played some good offensive gameplay by individuals, by teams. Both teams shot really well, but [we were] able to get a couple stops. Obviously, Luka [Dončić] and AR (Austin Reaves) [were] phenomenal offensively, but we just needed to get that win in.”

LeBron James emphasizes need for reps​

The Lakers have dealt with players going in and out of the lineup all seasons due to injuries. They are finally healthy though, which LeBron James believes will give them a chance to get some much-needed reps to build chemistry as a group.

“Every game. Every second we’re on the floor together, it helps,” James said. “Like I said All-Star Weekend, we don’t know what we’re gonna be until we get fully healthy and tonight was one of the first games where JJ and the coaching staff could look down and see everybody was available. So we just gotta keep pushing. We got a tough team coming in on Sunday obviously, a lifetime NBA rivalry. So we gotta be ready for them. They’re playing great basketball too.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...nee-soreness-began-desire-to-play-through-it/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: LeBron James Praises Kawhi Leonard As One Of Greatest Players Ever

LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers returned to action after the All-Star break with a matchup against the L.A. Clippers. Granted the Clippers are a below .500 team, but they have been playing inspired basketball as of late, making it a tough matchup for the Lakers.

The main culprit behind their improve play is Kawhi Leonard, who originally was not named an All-Star despite looking like one of the best players in the league over the last two months. After struggling with lower body injuries, Leonard is finally back to form and he gave the Lakers issues by dropping 31 points on 11-of-19 shooting on Friday night.

Unfortunately, the Clippers star exited the fourth quarter at around five minutes due to ankle soreness. He did not return, leading to a purple and gold win.

Hopefully holding Leonard out was precautionary and it’s nothing of significance to keep him sidelined. James does not want to see that as he is a huge fan of the two-way star, sharing praise for Leonard after the game.

“Kawhi is awesome, man. He’s the best. He’s one of the best players ever,” James said. “I couldn’t care less about the injuries. Those are things you can’t control. You can only control the controllables and the things that he’s been controlling is how he comes back and how he perseveres every single time. That guy is awesome. I swear I have nothing but great things to say about Kawhi and the type of basketball that he’s been playing the last couple months. He is who he is for a reason. Not surprised by it.

“On another note, I was disappointed during the 2024 Olympic team when he wasn’t able to go with us. I was looking forward to teaming up with Kawhi too as well. A little disappointed about that when he had to deal with another injury. I was looking forward to spending some time with him. Listen, he’s great. He had 31 points in 12 minutes the other night. He’s awesome. I could speak about him all night.”

Since both James and Leonard arrived in Los Angeles, they have had some incredible battles against one another.

Leonard will be 35-years-old by the time next season starts and it will be intriguing to see how his games ages. The Clippers have roster decisions to make as well and perhaps their star’s time may be numbered, but one person who isn’t taking him for granted is James.

LeBron James explains how knee soreness began & desire to play through it​

On the other side, LeBron James has had to manage his body as he maneuvers through his 23rd season. Leading up to Friday’s game, James was downgraded to questionable due to knee soreness and jeopardized the Lakers’ first chance of having a fully healthy squad.

Fortunately, he gave it a go and the four-time champion explained his through process behind playing through this particular ailment.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...awhi-leonard-as-one-of-greatest-players-ever/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Confirm Season Ticket Price Hike In 2026-27

The Los Angeles Lakers organization has undergone a lot of changes over the last year with the addition of Luka Doncic and the ownership sale to Mark Walter.

A new era of basketball is truly underway in Los Angeles, and Walter will try to bring the same type of success he has brought to the L.A. Dodgers to the Lakers.

In order to do that, he has to bring in his own people to run the organization, and that recently started with the hiring of Lon Rosen as president of business operations, replacing Tim Harris.

Unfortunately though, some of the changes include a price hike in season tickets starting next season, the Lakers confirmed to Dave McMenamin of ESPN:

Going into the 2026-27 season, the Lakers have a steep price hike planned for their tickets.

Online basketball personality Rob Perez detailed what it will cost him with a post on X on Friday, writing that there will be a 14% increase on the cost of seats in his section and the team will tack on an additional 3% administrative fee if the invoice is not paid in full at the start.

Another longtime Lakers season-ticket holder, with seats in the 300 level, contacted ESPN and showed documentation of an even more exorbitant price increase to keep his tickets. The season-ticket holder in the 300 level had the price for his seats jump from $6,192 in 2025-26 to $9,035 for 2026-27; the price in 2024-25 was $5,494.

That is a 45.9% hike going into next season compared with a 12.7% hike in the last renewal cycle.

The Lakers confirmed the planned price increases in a statement provided to ESPN on Saturday.

“We are adjusting season ticket pricing for next season,” the statement said. “The updates reflect the current market landscape and demand.”

While this news is unfortunate for Lakers fans and season ticket holders, the demand for tickets has never been higher, especially beginning next season when the organization will invest more resources and assets to improve the roster around Doncic.

Walter has slowly implemented some changes since taking over as majority owner, and more will likely be coming in the next year.

Lon Rosen outlines goals with Lakers​

In his first statement since being hired by the Lakers, Lon Rosen outlined his goals in his new role.

“I’m beyond grateful to Jeanie and Mark for trusting me with this incredible opportunity,” said Rosen. “As everyone knows, the economics of the sports business are constantly changing – and they will continue to do so.

“But, at root, my job is a simple one: figuring out how to do right by our employees and our partners while ensuring that the Lakers continue to provide an unparalleled experience for our fans in Los Angeles and around the world. I look forward to working alongside Jeanie, Rob and the whole front-office team to make that happen.”

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-confirm-season-ticket-price-hike-in-2026-27/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Video: Pat Riley Statue Unveiled

Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy best represent the Los Angeles Lakers’ “Showtime” era, but none of them would have been there without former head coach Pat Riley.

Riley led the Lakers and its stars to four championships during his time as the head coach, helping turn the storied franchise into the NBA’s most popular team.

Riley went on to work for the New York Knicks and Miami Heat, but he’ll always be remembered for his contributions to the purple and gold. Lakers history can’t be told without Riley and the organization finally honored the legendary coach with his own statue in front of Crpyto.com Arena.

In fitting fashion, Riley’s statue was unveiled before L.A.’s game against their heated rivals the Boston Celtics.

The official unveiling of Pat Riley's statue, which was placed between Magic Johnson's and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's.

(via @SpectrumSN) pic.twitter.com/OThmEfAsXT

— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) February 22, 2026

First look at the #Lakers Pat Riley statue…

(via @melissarohlin) pic.twitter.com/O8tc0vn8jz

— Lakers Nation (@LakersNation) February 22, 2026

According to the Lakers, the nearly eight-foot-tall, 510-pound bronze statue immortalizes Riley, intentionally positioned on the plaza between Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Known for his polished demeanor and sideline style, Riley is depicted in his classic Giorgio Armani-tailored suit with a crocodile leather belt and his 1985 championship ring, with his right fist raised, his signature signal throughout the Showtime-era for Johnson to deliver a pass to Abdul-Jabbar for the legendary skyhook.

Under Pat Riley’s inscribed name, the base of the sculpture reads “There will come a time when you are challenged, and when that time comes, you must plant your feet. You must stand firm. You must make a point. About who you are, what you do, and where you come from. When that time comes, you do it.”

Additionally, the sculpture base includes acknowledgements and commemorates Riley’s career with notable accolades as a player, coach and executive, including 24 head coaching seasons and 1,381 regular season and playoff wins, ranking him fifth all time. The right side of the base features bible verse Mark 3:25 – “A house divided against itself will not stand” – a reference Riley used with his Lakers Showtime team.

The statue was designed and created by Omri Amrany and Sean Bell of Rotblatt Amrany Studio, the studio that also created statues honoring Bryant, Hearn, Abdul-Jabbar, O’Neal and others.

Following the statue unveiling, Riley made a statement regarding the honor and what it means to him.

“I want to thank all of you,” said Pat Riley. “Significance doesn’t come from comfort. It comes from adversity, from discipline, from refusing to be ordinary. One day we look back with the incredible pride and gratitude to have been part of something truly special. That statue right there is loaded up with all of us who took this magical journey.”

Riley became L.A.’s head coach during the 1981-81 season and immediately revamped the team’s offensive philosophy and play style. He had already seen success with the franchise as he won a championship in 1980 as an assistant coach and another in 1972 as a player.

However, under Riley’s leadership the Lakers won 50 games every season, including five campaigns winning 60 or more games. Riley’s final season coaching L.A. didn’t result in a title but he was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year.

Riley becomes the eighth figure in Lakers history to have a statue erected in his honor, but is the only coach on the list. Riley changed the franchise forever and rightfully deserves his place among the greats.

JJ Redick says Pat Riley is north star for all coaches​

Pat Riley’s basketball acumen and ability to communicate made him a successful head coach wherever he went, becoming a model for modern NBA coaches like JJ Redick. In fact, Redick called Riley the north star for all coaches because of what he managed to accomplish during his career.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-video-coach-pat-riley-statue-unveiled/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

JJ Redick Believes Lakers Offense Was ‘Awful’ In Loss To Celtics

Rivalries still matter in sports, especially for the Los Angeles Lakers as they’re part of arguably the most famous one in all of sports with the Boston Celtics.

The Lakers and Celtics are regarded as the gold standard of the league as the franchises have combined for 35 championships. NBA history is littered with title matchups between Los Angeles and Boston, producing some of the best Finals ever.

On the day the purple and gold paid homage to Pat Riley with a statue outside of Crypto.com Arena, the Lakers squared off against the Celtics. While the first quarter was a draw, Boston dominated the rest of the way and left Los Angeles licking their wounds after a 111-89 throttling.

Normally the team’s defense is to blame for a loss, but this time around it was the offense that wasn’t up to standard. Head coach JJ Redick emphasized L.A.’s offensive execution was nowhere near good enough to beat Boston.

“I think going against this team and their offense. Made the subs at 3:22 in the fourth quarter. They’ve got 105 points and they’re 12-for-32 from three, and they’re shooting 47%. We did a good job limiting their fast break points [and] did a good job limiting their points in the paint under 50. So, we did enough defensively. We were just awful offensively tonight,” Redick said.

As for what actually happened on the floor, Redick felt the Lakers settled too many times and failed to move the basketball to the open man.

“Yeah, there were opportunities, I think, to put more pressure on the rim,” he added. “Particularly in the first half. We took 11 non-paint twos. We were 13-for-29 on paint twos, non-rim paint twos. That’s not normally what we shoot. And then [we] got some good looks from three; we didn’t knock them down. So just, you gotta make shots in this league. [We] took care of the basketball.

“Now the one thing, I think a lot of times when teams are on that deeper draw versus all our guys that play pick-and-roll, it kind of puts you a little bit in a bind of not having the obvious choice to pass, if that makes sense.  So, we’ve just gotta do a better job of just, finding guys and moving the ball.”

The Lakers’ offensive woes start with the stars as Luka Doncic, LeBron James and Austin Reaves shot just 22-of-53 from the field. Reaves, in particular, struggled as he had just 15 points on 4-of-10 shooting from the floor.

The rest of the supporting cast offered little help as no one could find much to operate against Boston’s defense. Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart combined for four points, with the latter going scoreless on 0-of-7 shooting. Meanwhile, the bench was also almost non-existent save for Luke Kennard who had nine points.

Los Angeles has struggled throughout the 2025-26 season against title contenders, a concerning sign for a team that still thinks it has a shot to win a championship. Redick and the rest of the coaching staff will need to find ways to get the offense back on track come Tuesday against the Orlando Magic.

Marcus Smart details experience of playing for both Celtics and Lakers​

Marcus Smart is one of the few players who can claim they’ve played for both the Lakers and Celtics. Only 42 players in league history have played for both franchises and Smart called it a unique and great experience so far.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/jj-redick-believes-lakers-offense-was-awful-in-loss-to-celtics/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

LeBron James: Jaylen Brown Belongs In MVP Conversation Despite Previous Comments About Bronny

Like the Los Angeles Lakers, LeBron James has his own beef with the Boston Celtics dating back to his time in the Eastern Conference.

James and the Celtics faced off numerous times in the playoffs, with the former gaining the upper hand as a member of the Miami Heat. However, James later saw the rise of the Celtics, most notably Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown who have become the best wing tandem in the league.

Tatum has been out for the 2025-26 season due to an Achilles injury, leaving Brown to lead Boston. So far, he’s done an excellent job keeping them atop the Eastern Conference and put on a show against Los Angeles.

The Lakers lost to the Celtics 111-89 and afterward James gave Brown his credit for taking his game to the next level.

“I think he’s just used the motivation of a lot of people saying that they’re gonna have a down year because of obviously [Jayson Tatum] being out, them losing Jrue (Holiday), Al (Horford), (Kristaps) Portzingis, their whole championship team pretty much has kind of revamped. He used it at motivation to keep them afloat. They’re playing great basketball and it’s because of him and the rest of those guys. He’s taken that next step,” he said.

James also noted that he and Brown have a solid relationship despite the latter’s comments about his son Bronny James when he was sitting courtside at a Summer League game in 2024.

“Our relationship has been pretty respectful, besides the shit he said about Bronny at Summer League. But other than that, we’ve be alright. We’ll be alright. I think he went on social media and said something about it, it’s all good. Bronny got a lot way to go, but that’s another story.”

Ultimately, James said he thinks Brown should be in the MVP conversation and wondered aloud why his name isn’t brought up more.

“He’s playing great basketball… This whole MVP thing, I don’t understand why his name is not getting talked about some as well,” James said. “Nobody gave them a shot to start the season, and he’s averaging like what, 30? Just under 30. It’s a popularity contest sometimes… I don’t know the criteria of MVP anymore. I stopped giving a damn about it a long time ago. I got my own personal issues about it.”

Jaylen Brown responds to praise from LeBron James​

Brown heard James’ comments an expressed his gratitude to receive such high praise from the Lakers star.

“I’m grateful. It’s an honor to play in the Celtics-Lakers rivalry. It’s an honor for LeBron, who’s arguably the best player to ever play the game, giving me some high praise. So, I’m just grateful. I wake up every morning grateful (and) humbled.”

Brown is clearly able to lead a team to victory, something James has to respect as a fellow competitor. Unfortunately, though, it looks like Los Angeles has a ways to go to catch up to a team like Boston.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lebron-jam...ation-despite-previous-comments-about-bronny/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Rui Hachimura Emphasizes Need For More Ball Movement

The Los Angeles Lakers were built with a relatively clear identity, and that was to be an elite offense. It was the only option for a team built around Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves and a 41-year-old LeBron James, with Rui Hachimura, Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia as key role players.

They doubled down on that by trading away Gabe Vincent — one of their lone net-positive defenders — to the Atlanta Hawks for Luke Kennard.

Yet despite an abundance of offensive talent, the Lakers are still not an elite offense. Doncic leads the NBA in points per game at 32.8, but the Lakers rank eighth in the league in offensive rating. That simply isn’t good enough for a team with this much talent that struggles on defense, and part of the reason for that is performances like Sunday against the Boston Celtics.

L.A. managed only 89 points against the Celtics, an almost unacceptable showing for a fully healthy Lakers team. After practice the following day, Hachimura spoke about the inconsistency in the team’s offense and the need for more ball movement, via Dan Woike of The Athletic:

“I think it mostly depends on the team we play against. There are some teams that play really good team defense. Against that, we have to be more of sharing the ball, trusting each other. We got to have ball movement. Like yesterday, last game, they are a really great team, especially off the shift. So, I think usually, some guys, even for me, I can split the defense. But those guys are really good on the shift. They are a real handsy team and they allow them to do that. So, against those type of teams we kind of really struggle. We don’t have enough ball movement so I think those kind of stuff is the key for us to keep a high level offense. Have the ball movement is going to be the key.”

Hachimura brings up a theme that has been consistent for the Lakers this season, and that’s trusting one another. L.A. has not been a particularly pass-heavy team, despite the fact that Doncic and James are two of the best passers in the game and Reaves is incredibly high-IQ in his own right.

There is no reason why the Lakers should be as resistant to passing as they are, but it’s showing in some of these inconsistent offensive performances.

If the Lakers are going to be competitive this season, it’s going to have to be with an elite offense. The only way to reach that point is to be trusting of one another and share the ball, not play isolation-heavy basketball.

Luka Doncic feels chemistry with other Lakers stars is not there yet​

One issue for the Lakers offense is that their star trio — Doncic, James and Reaves — have not played many games together. Their on-court chemistry has clearly suffered for it, and it shows even more in these brutal games against other top teams.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-rui-hachimura-emphasizes-need-for-more-ball-movement/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Recap: Lakers Lose Close One To Magic

Coming off a disappointing loss to the rival Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers looked to get back on track on Tuesday night when they welcomed the Orlando Magic to town.

Both of these teams have failed to meet expectations this season in a way, but the Magic kept fighting all night and came away with a 110-109 victory over the Lakers.

LeBron James got off to a great start in this one as he had 10 early points, including a pair of 3-pointers. After a three-point play by Luka Doncic, the Lakers took a 17-10 lead.

Doncic got hit in the face by Moe Wagner and appeared to be in some pain but was eventually able to stay in the game. In true Luka fashion, he fired up a triple on the next possession and made it. Doncic joined James in double figures in the first quarter as the Lakers led 33-25.

Wendell Carter Jr. was the only Magic player that could get anything going offensively as he tried to keep the game from getting out of reach early. Tristan da Silva gave him some help with back-to-back 3s, but Deandre Ayton got going inside with five straight points for the Lakers to answer.

Both teams were sloppy to end the first half as the scoring came to a halt with the Lakers taking a 56-53 lead into the halftime locker room.

After a rare scoreless first half, Austin Reaves led a 9-0 run to begin the third quarter, scoring seven points and throwing a lob to James.

The Lakers’ offense got stagnant from there, however, missing the opportunity to continue extending the lead. Paolo Banchero finally got going for Orlando with a 17-point third quarter, getting their double-digit deficit back to a manageable margin at 80-79 going into the fourth.

The Magic opened up the first quarter with back-to-back buckets, regaining the lead for the first time in a while. With things starting to slip away for the Lakers, Reaves hit a big triple and then had a three-point play to tie it up once again.

With both teams continuing to exchange buckets, the game was tied at 98 with around five minutes to play.

Doncic did not have a good shooting night, but he hit back-to-back jumpers down the stretch for L.A. He then found Rui Hachimura for a 3 to go back ahead, although Banchero responded with an and-one.

With the Lakers up two in the final minute, Desmond Bane drilled a triple to put Orlando back in front.

After a timeout, Doncic found a cutting James for a dunk. The Magic had one more look, and Carter had a putback after a missed shot by Banchero.

That put Orlando up by one with 6.7 seconds to play, and James missed a fadeaway at the buzzer to secure the victory for the Magic.

What’s next for the Lakers…​

The Lakers will now hit the road for division matchups with the Phoenix Suns and Golden State Warriors on Thursday and Saturday, respectively, before returning home and hosting the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/recap-lakers-lose-close-one-to-magic/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Hire Former Virginia Coach Tony Bennett As NBA Draft Advisor To GM Rob Pelinka

The Los Angeles Lakers have announced the hiring of former University of Virginia head coach Tony Bennett as an NBA Draft advisor to general manager Rob Pelinka.

Bennett was a three-time National Coach of the Year at Virginia and Washington State University, but is most known for his time with the Cavaliers whom he led to a national championship in 2019. He is UVA’s all-time leader in coaching victories and is one of just three coaches to be named ACC Coach of the Year four times, along with Mike Krzyzewski and Dean Smith.

“We’re thrilled and honored to welcome Tony as an advisor to the Lakers basketball operations department,” Pelinka said. “As we refine and build out our NBA draft and scouting processes, we could think of no better basketball mind than Tony Bennett to have as a resource. Tony’s track record of forming culture, with high-character, high-skill and high-IQ players is revered and respected across all basketball circles. Tony will be an incredible asset to our basketball leadership, to our scouts and to our draft department as a whole. We are truly excited.”

With Mark Walter officially taking over as owner of the Lakers, it has been spoken about that the franchise would be undergoing some organizational changes and really building out their front office under Pelinka and Bennett represents a great addition to an important piece of the puzzle in drafting the right players.

“When Rob and I began talking, what stood out to me was the chance to help out such a storied organization,” Bennett said. “The Lakers carry a tradition that speaks for itself, so to be connected to it and assist Rob and the Lakers in any way I can is exciting.”

Bennett compiled a .719 win percentage over 18 seasons at Washington State and Virginia, producing 13 players who would go on to be drafted Klay Thompson, De’Andre Hunter and Malcolm Brogdon. Prior to getting into coaching Bennett was the 35th overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft and played four seasons in the NBA, three of those coming with the Charlotte Hornets.

Lon Rosen outlines Magic Johnson’s involvement with Lakers​

The Lakers also made another big hire with Lon Rosen taking over as President of Business Operations. Rosen has ties with the Lakers and specifically the legendary Magic Johnson whom Rosen says will be around the team, but won’t have any day-to-day involvement.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-hir...nnett-as-nba-draft-advisor-to-gm-rob-pelinka/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Luka Doncic Explains Final Possession Against Magic

Following an embarrassing loss to the Boston Celtics, the Los Angeles Lakers needed a big response from Luka Doncic when they took on the Orlando Magic to finish out their eight-game homestand.

The Magic have been an underwhelming squad this year but are a difficult matchup on paper for the Lakers as they boast size, physicality and defense across their lineups. Physicality was brought up as an issue for Los Angeles against Boston and the same was seen again as Orlando did its best to muck up the game and force players like Doncic in tough shots constantly.

Even without Jalen Suggs and Franz Wagner, the Magic found ways to fluster Doncic whenever he had the basketball. While Doncic was able to find open teammates en route to 15 assists, his shooting efficiency plummeted as he took high-difficult shots under duress. Los Angeles ultimately lost 110-109, with Doncic leading the team in scoring with 22 points on 8-of-24 shooting from the field including just 2-of-10 from the 3-point line.

The Lakers had a chance to steal the game as they had the final shot, but the play seemed disorganized as Doncic passed up an open 3-pointer to give the ball to LeBron James, who then proceeded to miss the game-winner. Doncic explained what happened on the play and why he decided to forego the final shot.

“I know I was open, but I just thought I was a little bit far,” the Lakers star said after the loss. “Tried to take one dribble closer. I probably shouldn’t have picked up the ball and just tried to attack.”

Doncic added that his poor shooting night may have played a role in his hesitation and he thought there was enough time to generate a better look.

“Maybe a little bit…I thought it was enough time. There was six or seven seconds, enough time to get a better look, try to drive the ball, so that’s why I picked [up my dribble].”

It’s uncharacteristic to see Luka pass up an open look with the game on the line, especially given the fact that he hit a tough shot in crunch time a couple minutes earlier.

The loss marked the first time Los Angeles failed to win when going into the fourth quarter with a lead, though the more concerning issue is how they lost to another team that bullied them in multiple areas. Rebounding and second-chance points doomed the Lakers, and Doncic’s shooting struggles exacerbated their problems.

The Phoenix Suns are on tap for Thursday, so it’ll be worth watching how Doncic and the rest of the team responds.

Luka Doncic believes Lakers’ new starting group is ‘very good lineup’​

The Lakers came out of the All-Star break mostly healthy and head coach JJ Redick finally got to trot out a lineup of Luka Doncic, Austin Reaves, Marcus Smart, LeBron James and Deandre Ayton. The grouping seems the most optimal on paper, with Doncic calling it a very good lineup.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-news-luka-doncic-explains-final-possession-against-magic/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers Rumors: Tony Bennett’s Draft Advisor Role Explained

The front office of the Los Angeles Lakers is undergoing some changes underneath governor Jeanie Buss and president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka. The franchise recently announced the hiring of former University of Virginia head coach Tony Bennett as their new NBA Draft advisor to Pelinka.

The move opened some eyes as Bennett is an extremely respected person who had great success in the college ranks. He took two programs in Virginia, as well as Washington State, to new levels and coached and developed a number of players who would go on to NBA success, including Klay Thompson, Trey Murphy III, Malcolm Brogdon and De’Andre Hunter.

But in his role as draft advisor, Bennett will not be taking on a lead role in the scouting department or draft room itself. But instead, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic, Bennett’s eye for identifying specific types of players will be utilized as the Lakers look to increase their stock of young, promising players:

Bennett, a team source said, will not be leading the Lakers’ draft room or scouting. Instead, Bennett’s experience in finding players who possess toughness, energy and IQ will aid in the Lakers’ search as they restock an empty-ish cupboard of young talent.

There was a time when the Lakers’ scouting and drafting department was one of the biggest strengths in the organization. The team regularly found players in the late-first or second rounds of the draft that would go on to be excellent players in the NBA, such as Josh Hart, Jordan Clarkson, Kyle Kuzma, Ivica Zubac and Larry Nance Jr.

Oftentimes, those players would be used in trades to acquire a superstar, but that also means that these young players were talented enough to warrant inclusion in such deals. These days, the Lakers’ stock of young players is basically empty. Dalton Knecht’s value has plummeted, which leaves rookie Adou Thiero, who has battled injury in his first season, as the lone young player with some real potential on this roster.

Bennett’s teams in college were known for their defense, toughness and high IQ who played together and embraced their roles and he ultimately led Virginia to the National Championship in 2019. If he can help to find some of those players who have those same qualities he will be a great benefit to this Lakers franchise.

Lakers center Deandre Ayton doesn’t want to be placed in Clint Capela role​

When it comes to the current Lakers roster one of the biggest keys to success is the play of center Deandre Ayton. And the big man recently let it be known that he does not want to be placed in rim-running role that Clint Capela once held for the Houston Rockets.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-rumors-tony-bennett-draft-advisor-role-explained/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Recap: Lakers Struggles Continue With Loss In Final Seconds To Shorthanded Suns

The Los Angeles Lakers were coming off a subpar 4-4 homestand when they hit the road to take on the Phoenix Suns, looking to get back on track.

The Suns had beaten the Lakers in two of their three meetings this season, often being the more physical and aggressive team, but a lot of their key players were out in this game. That didn’t matter, however, as the Suns continued to have their way with the Lakers, beating them 113-110 in the final seconds.

Coming off a rough shooting night, Luka Doncic got off to a nice start in this one by making his first two shots. Outside of that though, the Lakers were struggling offensively early with the Suns jumping out to a 17-9 lead.

L.A. had a quick response with a 12-0 run to take their first lead. Doncic had five more points during that span while LeBron James also got going offensively.

Luke Kennard came in and made an immediate impact, including finishing a layup after a slick behind-the-back pass from James, to give the Lakers a 27-22 lead at the end of the first.

Phoenix got hot from deep to begin the second quarter, regaining the lead and forcing a Lakers timeout. Things started to spiral for the Lakers as they had some silly turnovers, leading to back-to-back triples by the Suns to go up by 10.

Again though, the Lakers responded with a run of their own. Jake LaRavia got it started with a 3-pointer and then Doncic and Reaves each hit one as well. The Suns beat the halftime buzzer to end the run, tying the game at 49.

The Lakers picked up where they left off to begin the third quarter, scoring 11 straight points with Doncic and James leading the charge. Doncic found Deandre Ayton for an alley-oop, giving the big man his first bucket of the night and forcing a Suns timeout with L.A.’s lead reaching double digits.

Similar to what happened in the first half, the Lakers let go of the rope from there. They had some more silly turnovers and Grayson Allen made them pay with back-to-back 3s. Allen then hit another one out of a Lakers timeout and the game wound up being tied at 80 at the end of the third.

Ayton committed a costly Flagrant 1 foul on a reckless closeout, allowing the Suns to jump back in front after a six-point possession that started an 11-0 run.

Marcus Smart tried to bring the Lakers back with a triple and three-point play, but there was still a lot more work to be done. Doncic picked it up from three with a pair of 3s of his own, and all of a sudden it was a two-point game.

The Lakers needed to get a stop and got lucky with Allen missing an open triple. Reaves then responded with a 3 and the game was tied with 22 seconds to go.

Phoenix had the ball with the shot clock off, running it all the way down to get the final shot and Royce O’Neale drilled a triple for the win.

What’s next for the Lakers…​

The Lakers will wrap up their quick two-game road trip on Saturday evening against the Golden State Warriors before returning home and hosting the Sacramento Kings on Sunday.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/recap-lake...-with-loss-final-seconds-to-shorthanded-suns/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Marcus Smart Laments Miscommunication & Execution In Loss To Suns

The Los Angeles Lakers have now lost back-to-back games in crunch time, something that was once the backbone of their team. They lost by one to the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, then by three to the Phoenix Suns on Thursday. In both losses, late-game execution was the talking point. On Thursday, it was spearheaded by Marcus Smart.

Smart, the former Defensive Player of the Year winner, has been an essential part of the Lakers’ success this season. The offseason free agent signing has been arguably the team’s best defensive player, and has definitely been a vocal leader on and off the floor.

He gave his stance on what went wrong for the Lakers against the Suns and what needs to change moving forward to ensure losses like Thursday’s don’t happen again, via Spectrum SportsNet:

“Our miscommunication. They do a good job of playing with pace, and we just didn’t communicate. A lot of their shots — I think like eight of them — were just that we didn’t talk, we didn’t switch when we were supposed to, and they got to set their feet and have all day and knock it down. That’s on us. But you gotta give those guys credit, they ran their plays with execution to get those shots. And we just gotta be better.”

He continued on with a common platitude about the game of basketball, and how it’s on the players — not the coaches or anyone else — to avoid falling on the wrong end of late-game runs:

“This game is a game of runs, we all know that. We went on a run, they came back and went on a run, we went on another run and put ourselves in a spot to send it into overtime. That’s part of it. We just gotta do a better job of closing it out. We can’t have a 6-0 run like that, especially turning it over after they hit a three. Get a steal and hit another three, we can’t have that. That’s on us. It’s nothing the coaches can do, the game plan, they had a great game plan for us. We just gotta go out and execute it.”

One thing that has been consistent about the Lakers under head coach JJ Redick is that, when they lose games like this, the players are quick to take accountability rather than blaming the game plan or anything else. That was not true of previous Lakers coaching regimes.

But at a certain point, like Smart says, the Lakers have to be able to execute. And despite a 34-24 record, it’s fairly clear they haven’t been executing when the moment is big enough.

JJ Redick believes Lakers losses are louder​

Redick applauded his team for the way they respond to losses, but also stated that they are at a disadvantage. He believes L.A.’s losses are louder than other teams simply by virtue of them being the Lakers. Still, he thinks his team does a good job rolling with that despite the reality.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...s-miscommunication-execution-in-loss-to-suns/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Lamar Odom Believes He Would Be In Hall Of Fame If Not For Drug Addiction

In terms of pure talent, Lamar Odom was one of the most gifted basketball players of his generation. He had point guard skills at 6’10 with an excellent handle and court vision while also being capable of scoring at all three levels. He was a major part of the Los Angeles Lakers’ back-to-back championships in 2009 and 2010 and would also win the NBA Sixth Man of the Year award in 2011.

But for all of his NBA success, Odom is also a player who never quite lived up to his immense potential. He was never named an All-Star or made an All-NBA team and his off-court demons are well-documented at this point. Odom dealt with major tragedies in his life and he struggled with drug addiction for many years.

Odom recently spoke on this in an appearance on the Cousins podcast with Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady, where he revealed that while he didn’t do drugs during the season, he would party hard during the offseason:

“Nah. Summertime I did though. I ain’t gonna front. You get drug tested like four times [in-season]. If you get caught for sniffing cocaine, that suspension is gonna be crazy. I had some great cocaine summers though…That was my way of beating the system. Just partying hard during the summer time.”

And when asked whether his offseason habits affected how good he could be, Odom admitted that he feels he would be in the Hall of Fame if not for his battles with addiction:

“Hell yea. 100% I should be where ya’ll at in the Hall of Fame. I had people coming to me before I got to the NBA saying ‘yo you a hall of famer’…Let’s keep it real with you, I shot a reality show in-season, that means I was playing in the game, winning 6th man of the year and shooting a reality show. I knew I had the grit and the makeup especially if you put me on the spot I’m gonna get it done but I think about overall legacy and greatness, yea I hurt that by using drugs but I’m gonna stand on that. I think about my life and the ups and the downs, I probably been put here to do something more than just play basketball.”

No one will ever question that Odom had Hall of Fame talent and quite simply the Lakers don’t win those championships without everything he brought to that team. He absolutely could have been a multi-time All-Star and all-time great.

But the difference between great players and Hall of Famers is everything else other than talent. It is the mindset, work ethic and dedication that lifts the greats to the other worldly levels. But as Odom said, he was likely put on this earth for more than basketball and by him being open about his story and struggles he stands to help a lot of people going through the same things, and that is far greater than any sporting accomplishment.

Tony Bennett’s draft advisor role with Lakers explained​

The Lakers would love to find a player with a Lamar Odom level of talent in the draft and the team recently hired Tony Bennett as a new NBA Draft advisor to general manager Rob Pelinka. And his role with the team was recently outlined.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...be-in-hall-of-fame-if-not-for-drug-addiction/

 

[Los Angeles Lakers]

Lakers News: Lon Rosen Looking Forward To Expanding Global Reach Of Luka Doncic

The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the biggest brands in all of sports across the world. This franchise is one that has always been built on stars going back to Jerry West and Elgin Baylor, and all the way through to Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal and now, LeBron James and, of course, Luka Doncic.

Doncic is the player who is tasked with leading the Lakers into this next era and that is not only on the court, but off the court as well. The star player of the Lakers is usually someone who is recognized and beloved worldwide and Luka has even more potential as a global star since he is obviously from Slovenia and already has a ton of reach overseas.

This is something that stands out to new Lakers President of Business Operations Lon Rosen, who praised Doncic as a player while noting that he is looking forward to seeing how far the Lakers superstar can reach people globally, via Benjamin Royer of the Southern California News Group:

“Sitting in my Dodger seat?” Rosen said. “I only dream that we would have the reach that the Lakers have. Let’s face it, having Luka Doncic doesn’t hurt at all. I mean, he’s one of the most popular players in the world, and we want to, obviously, you know, jump on his shoulders and see what we can reach out there. I mean, that’s a really unique player. His global reach is everywhere.”

There is no doubt that Doncic has everything that someone in Rosen’s position loves to see. He is one of the best basketball players on earth, is extremely charismatic both on and off the court and just has a natural connection with fans. Add in the already well established brand that the Lakers carry and the possibilities are endless.

Rosen is no stranger to working with international stars either from his time with the Dodgers so he undoubtedly has plenty of things in mind on how he can market Luka and grow his brand even stronger than it already is.

Luka Doncic explains what Lakers’ mindset should be amidst losing streak​

Of course, Luka Doncic’s only focus right now is turning around the Lakers as they are in the midst of a losing streak and the superstar guard gave his thoughts on what this team’s mindset should be after three consecutive defeats.

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Source: https://lakersnation.com/lakers-new...ard-to-expanding-global-reach-of-luka-doncic/