Doncic and Harden, the problem is winning an NBA title: “You can’t win that way”
Channing Frye has nothing against Doncic – quite the opposite. But when it comes to winning an NBA championship, he sees the same problem with the Slovenian star as with James Harden
Having Luka Doncic on your team is a luxury, but relying exclusively on him might not be the right path to an NBA championship. That’s the view of Channing Frye, who takes issue with the Lakers’ offensive system.
I love Luka. I just don’t think his style of play will lead to a championship. I see him as very similar to James Harden: both play incredible basketball, but their extremely high usage isn’t translating into titles
Channing Frye
The comparison with James Harden is central to his argument. Frye sees both as players capable of producing extraordinary numbers, but an offense that constantly runs through their hands risks becoming predictable, especially against tougher competition.
According to the former NBA player, the Lakers’ problem isn’t asking a lot of Doncic. It’s asking him to do practically everything.
It’s not sustainable. Outside of Austin Reaves, Luka has to create for the entire team. That’s a tremendous amount of pressure on one person. I’m not a hater. He’s an all-time great, one of the best ever
Channing Frye
The early-season numbers support that observation. Doncic has a 39.8% usage rate, the highest in the NBA among players who have appeared in more than one game.
The statistic measures the percentage of possessions a player finishes with a shot, turnover or trip to the free throw line while on the court. In the Slovenian star’s case, it illustrates how much the Lakers’ offense depends on his decisions.
That 39.8% usage rate shows how much the Lakers need Doncic. But it also shows how little margin they have when Luka can’t make the difference. And in the NBA playoffs, that could become a problem.