Lakers’ long-term plan looks beyond Doncic-Giannis pairing

Luka Doncic, who left the game against the Philadelphia 76ers after hurting his left leg, appears to have avoided a serious injury. Even so, he’s dealing with a hamstring strain that will require caution and could sideline him for a few days. The timing is fortunate: with the NBA All-Star Weekend coming up, the league enters a week-long break—giving the Slovenian star a chance to recover without missing many games. Still, the Lakers’ “Big Three” can’t catch a break.

The matchup against the Sixers was only Austin Reaves’ second game back after missing nearly six weeks with a calf issue. The Arkansas guard isn’t fully reintegrated into the rotation yet and has been coming off the bench as the sixth man in both games—both wins.

So far, LeBron James, Doncic, and Reaves have played just 10 games together. The Lakers are 7–3 in those contests, but the number barely tells the story. They’ve never been fully healthy at the same time. On Christmas Day, Reaves went down early. Against the Sixers, Doncic exited. In the previous game in Brooklyn, Reaves had just returned from injury. And when LeBron came back earlier in the season after dealing with back issues, it took him time to regain his rhythm—by the time he did, Reaves was hurt again.

Doncic’s injury comes at a tough moment

The setback comes just as the Lakers were regaining momentum after a rough December and January. Their defense has looked sharper, their energy better, and their chemistry more stable.

It also comes right after a quiet trade deadline. The Lakers made only one notable move: sending a second-round pick to acquire Luke Kennard, an elite three-point shooter—something L.A. desperately needed. But Kennard brings defensive limitations and a tendency to pass up shots he should take, something JJ Redick has already said he plans to fix.

Beyond that, the Lakers stood pat. They couldn’t even move Dalton Knecht, the 2024 first-round pick whose rookie season has veered into disappointment. His lone standout skill—outside shooting—has abandoned him this year, and Kennard’s arrival will likely cut into his already limited minutes. Knecht showed promise early in the season, but his confidence cratered after the failed Mark Williams trade, which the Lakers pulled back after Knecht had already been informed he was headed to Charlotte. Now, his value is at rock bottom.

Pivotal summer ahead

Everything now points to the offseason—a massive one. The Lakers have been circling this summer as the moment to rebuild the roster around Doncic, likely without LeBron James. At minimum, they expect to move on from his massive cap hit; at maximum, they anticipate a full reset.

Austin Reaves is expected to decline his player option and sign a long-term deal—both sides want to continue together. More importantly, the Lakers will finally have three first-round picks available to trade starting on draft night. That’s why they refused to move their lone tradeable pick at the deadline. They’ll also have close to $50 million in cap space—more than any current contender.

The catch? Very few teams will have cap room this summer… and the free-agent class is extremely thin. But cap space can be used creatively, not just on signings.

Who will be in charge of the rebuild?

That’s the big question. Before trading Gabe Vincent for Kennard, nine of the Lakers’ 14 players were set to hit free agency or hold player options this summer. It’s a roster built for turnover.

According to reporting from Dan Woike, Giannis Antetokounmpo is an obvious target. Once the trade deadline passed without a move from Milwaukee, speculation about his future ramped up. The Lakers will have more assets in June than they did in February, but still not enough to outbid the league for Giannis—unless he forces the issue. A sign-and-trade involving Reaves is theoretically possible but not something L.A. is eager to pursue. Everything changes, however, if Giannis decides he wants to be a Laker. He can apply real pressure, especially with the option to hit free agency in 2027.

Still, Woike notes that the Lakers are preparing multiple paths—not just the dream scenario of pairing Doncic with Giannis. One realistic plan: re-sign Reaves and build a deeper, more balanced supporting cast, including a starting-caliber center and versatile 3‑and‑D wings.

A front office overhaul in the pipeline

New owner Mark Walter, with advisor Andrew Friedman, wants to modernize the Lakers’ front office—mirroring the highly successful model they built with MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers. Executives around the league are reportedly nervous about what happens when a franchise with the Lakers’ brand power finally upgrades its infrastructure. As one put it: “It’s scary to think about.”

This raises real questions about Rob Pelinka’s future. The organization has been closely monitoring his moves, ensuring he didn’t burn assets needed for the summer. And while Jeanie Buss remains the governor for now, Walter appears poised to take a more prominent role.

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