Lakers, Winning Isn’t Enough: The Problems Run Deeper Than the Results

With their 20th win in 30 games against the Sacramento Kings, the Los Angeles Lakers are on track to close out the calendar year in fourth place in the Western Conference and first in the Pacific Division. On paper, that looks like a solid résumé.

But if the stated goal is to compete for an NBA title, the eye test tells a different story. Standings aside, the on-court product does not resemble a team ready to win four playoff series.

And this is no minor detail: for the Lakers, chasing a championship is not an optional ambition – it is the natural consequence of their history and the resources invested.

Beyond LeBron James’ 24 points, Luka Doncic’s 34, and the final +25 margin against Sacramento – achieved without Austin Reaves, sidelined for at least a month – the controversies surrounding this stretch of the season have not disappeared.

Those criticisms are legitimate, especially considering the three-game losing streak around Christmas, which once again exposed long-standing structural problems. Issues that, without an honest assessment, risk being dismissed as temporary dips in form, making any real solution even harder to achieve.

So let’s break down the key points.

Is Luka-centric basketball sustainable?

Before even addressing the roster’s defensive shortcomings, the starting point inevitably is Luka Doncic. Averaging over 33 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists, the Slovenian should be a guarantee – not a question mark.

The issue, however, is structural: any team built around Luka inevitably takes on his shape. It happened in Dallas, with the Slovenian national team, and it’s happening now with the Lakers. That is the price of committing to a fully Doncic-centric system.

In the five games he played before the win over Sacramento, Doncic shot 41.2% from the field and 26.3% from three, while the Lakers were outscored by a combined 50 points in that span, finishing with 3 wins and 2 losses.

Regardless of what he does (or doesn’t do) defensively, an inefficient Doncic makes the team non-competitive. And in a system that revolves entirely around him, that becomes the first real problem – not just one of many.

LeBron James’ age

LeBron James’ age is not just a biographical detail; it’s a matter of technical and managerial perspective. Being on the floor at 41 years old, with such a heavy workload, is uncharted territory – not only for him, but also for the coaching staff and front office.

Managing him becomes inherently complex, almost a minefield, further complicated by sciatic nerve inflammation that cost him a crucial month of preparation and training camp.

It’s natural to see LeBron look limited at times, less reactive, less dominant. He is no longer the absolute athletic reference point, and his body doesn’t always respond as instantly to the impulses of his extraordinary basketball instincts.

That said, he is not the Lakers’ offensive problem, as usage and responsibilities with a full roster clearly show. If there is a defensive issue, it was also the most predictable one: hiding a 40-plus-year-old player is a structural necessity, not a tactical failure.

The roster isn’t good enough

The real issue – for JJ Redick and especially Rob Pelinka – is roster construction. If the goal is still to compete, this team is simply not built to truly do so.

They lack defensive anchors, physicality in rim protection, and reliable solutions on the perimeter. The Doncic–Reaves pairing is vulnerable defensively – no secret there – but behind them there is no system capable of masking those weaknesses.

Offensively, a Luka-based heliocentric attack requires dependable spot-up shooters and an effective rim runner as a screener. Those elements, as things stand, do not consistently emerge from the available rotations.

Over time, these limitations are inevitably exposed by more athletic, well-structured teams built for modern basketball: wide spacing, quick reads, and minimal margin for error.

So, what’s needed?

The answer, uncomfortable as it may be, is simple: patience.

Many of the current problems are side effects of the trade for Luka Doncic, which created a structural imbalance without resolving pre-existing issues. Removing Anthony Davis – a defensive and offensive cornerstone alongside LeBron – and adding a player who occupies similar spaces to James has inevitably caused disruptions.

Doncic demands a shift in offensive identity, with Reaves as the primary support – something already seen in Dallas with Kyrie Irving and Jalen Brunson. The surrounding pieces, however, are not up to the task of completing that transformation.

Basically, the Lakers have started a new cycle without closing the previous one, skipping a crucial rebuilding phase and paying the price in terms of salary flexibility and roster options.

They need to regain room to maneuver, accept that not every move will be perfect, and operate with clarity. Without rushing – yes. Even if Luka Doncic is 27 now, not 22 anymore.