Lakers have “some work to do” before being at championship strength, says Doncic
A year on from his blockbuster trade from Dallas, Doncic spoke about the Lakers’ chances of winning the championship.
In February 2025, a gaping fissure in the ground - across asphalt, rock, and desert - opened and cruised like a crocodile propelling itself through water, all the way from Dallas through Ciudad Juárez, Tucson, onto Phoenix and right through the heart of Los Angeles. One year on, the crack caused by the bombshell move of Luka Doncic from the Mavericks to the Lakers is yet to seal itself back up.
At the time, the transaction crashed its way through the main doors of the NBA and the reverberations were felt for miles in every direction; nobody had seen anything like it before and Dončić’s arrival in Los Angeles marked a dramatic shift for the way the league marketed itself, not to mention the Lakers.
The Lakers sent Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round pick to Dallas as part of a three-team trade that also involved the Utah Jazz. Few expected a team to part with a generational talent like Dončić midseason, let alone for what was perceived as modest return value that sent fans into a frenzy.
Mavs Fans will always have love for Luka Doncic pic.twitter.com/rE4l3RCuRo
— Nick Angstadt (@NickVanExit) January 25, 2026
“We got some work to do ... we obviously missed a lot of good looks”
And it seems their anger was more than justified: on the court this season, Dončić has been nothing short of spectacular. He repeatedly posts elite numbers and is carving out a place in Lakers history.
Yet the Lakers’ overall journey has been mixed. They remain competitive in the Western Conference but have battled injuries and chemistry questions, particularly with repeated absences from key contributors.
Doncic spoke after a recent loss to the Knicks, in which he said that “I think we’re in a good spot. Obviously, got some work to do. ... Today, we obviously missed a lot of good looks, but I think we have a great group.”
Franchise star LeBron James echoed his teammate’s thoughts, saying “I like this group. ... “We’ve had some really good moments. We have some not-so-good moments. We want to continue to try to build off of that."
A triple-double in under 20 minutes for Luka Dončić 😱
— NBA (@NBA) January 31, 2026
26 PTS
10 REB
11 AST
19 MIN
He records the second first half 25+ PT triple-double of the play-by-play era (1997-98).
The only other instance?
Himself in 2023. pic.twitter.com/l7SliYJB9u
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“It’s been tough all season as far as dealing with injuries. Guys in and guys out. Unfortunately, our All-Star 2-guard has been out for a minute, and that’s a big piece of our team. So, it’s kind of hard to see what we can really, truly be,” he concluded.
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