The Los Angeles Lakers and Luka Doncic are just starting a long-term partnership, but head coach JJ Redick may stop short of granting his superstar’s wish of having a rim-rolling lob threat on the floor. They brought in Deandre Ayton this offseason. Expect him to start and play 30 minutes, but it is fair to question if he fits the mold Luka wants. Doncic recruited him, but the 18 minutes he is on the bench may be more interesting.
Coach Redick embraced small-ball last season. Jaxson Hayes was his best option at the five after Anthony Davis was traded to Dallas. That could have been the reason, but Hayes averaged just 21.7 minutes per game from Feb. 10 on and got just 7.8 minutes a night in the playoffs. Hayes is the backup behind Ayton now, and it opens the door for Redick to embrace small ball in the second unit.
Luka signed an three-year extension and is committed to the Lakers. They made him their star and are eager to build a championship roster around him. How will the superstar take the franchise’s choice to partially go against his wish?
Lakers won’t always put a big man on the floor with Luka Doncic
Jovan Buha laid it out clearly on a recent episode of his podcast. Redick will certainly pair Luka and Hayes together in second units this season, but there will be minutes when it won’t work. The Lakers have nowhere else to turn. That means embracing small ball with LeBron James or Rui Hachimura at the five.
Ultimately, Doncic wants to win. He will be fully bought in if the Lakers are serious title contenders. It is fair to question why LA stopped at adding Ayton. They could have traded for another big man to ensure they got 48 minutes of quality center play every night, but Pelinka did not do that.
Luka is the best pick-and-roll ball-handler in the world. He will carve up defenses no matter who is on the floor with him. Doncic’s body transformation should only increase his effectiveness. Expect more drives and a better 3-point percentage from the superstar. That will result in plenty of wins too.
Number 77 led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2024 with Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford playing the five. Neither of those players is Anthony Davis.
Luka Doncic needs a rim-runner who protects the basket. Ayton may thrive in that role this season, but Hayes will quickly be played off the floor in the most important games. That means playing small and going against their superstar’s wishes. A risky gamble as the Los Angeles Lakers attempt to make him their centerpiece for the next decade-plus.