This summer could be the first opportunity for the Los Angeles Lakers to truly start to build a championship-caliber roster around Luka Doncic nearly a year and a half after acquiring him from the Dallas Mavericks. They have players on their roster they will want to re-sign, starting with LeBron James and Austin Reaves, but at least one or two outside players will need to be brought in.
Doncic is currently touring Europe as part of Jordan Brand, and he outlines the types of players he needs around him to win his first NBA title, per Luka Updates.
“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.”
A big man upgrade may be at the top of the Lakers’ to-do list. Starting center Deandre Ayton was at least adequate some of the time, but he is widely seen as a disappointment due to his inconsistent motor.
One NBA executive recently said the franchise seems to be “laser focused on a big man.” When Doncic was in Dallas, he found success playing alongside Daniel Gafford and Derek Lively II, and that duo was good enough to take Dallas to the 2024 NBA Finals.
As far as outside shooting is concerned, the Lakers finished 14th in 3-point shooting percentage and 24th in 3-point attempts during the regular season. They finished the regular season with just three players who shot better than 36% from downtown — Doncic, Rui Hachimura and Luke Kennard. Hachimura and Kennard will both become free agents at the end of this month.
Los Angeles is projected to have roughly $50 million in salary cap space this summer. However, there will be a lack of real options available in unrestricted free agency.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Luka Doncic on the type of players he wants to have around him
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire | USA TODAY Network
