LeBron James Says Lakers Must Adapt Their Style to Luka Doncic
lebron-james-says-lakers-must-adapt-their-style-to-luka-doncic
LOS ANGELES — LeBron James reiterated on Saturday night that every player on the Los Angeles Lakers, himself included, needs to tailor his game to complement Luka Doncic, the organization’s new focal point.
Speaking after the Lakers’ victory over the New Orleans Pelicans, James rejected the idea that the 26-year-old Slovenian star should alter his approach to fit the roster. “He’s our franchise for this ballclub,” James told Spectrum SportsNet. “It’s up to us to bend our game around him and figure it out.”
James highlighted Doncic’s ability to draw multiple defenders, calling him an “unbelievable pick-and-roll player” and “unbelievable shot-maker” who “commands the defense, four eyes, sometimes six eyes on him.” He added that positioning around Doncic is “not a problem” for him and questioned critics who suggest otherwise: “I just don’t think people watch basketball.”
Building Chemistry After a Delayed Offseason
The four-time MVP acknowledged that he, Doncic and guard Austin Reaves missed the full training camp they had planned because of his own injury. “That kind of put us behind the eight-ball,” James said. “Now I start making my way back and AR is out. It happens, but we’re just trying to weather the storm with the guys we have.”
Even without that preparation, Los Angeles is 13-0 in games classified as “clutch” this season. James credited the late-game poise he and Doncic share: “It’s gonna start with me and Luka, for sure, every time we hit the floor. He has the ball in his hands, I’m gonna have the ball in my hands, we have to make sure we’re putting our guys in position offensively.”
All-Star Voting Update
The NBA’s second round of 2026 All-Star voting keeps Doncic atop the overall leaderboard in the Western Conference. James ranks eighth, while Reaves sits 11th.
Los Angeles acquired Doncic in February 2025. Since then, James has made repeated gestures to ease his transition, including yielding the final spot in the starting-lineup introductions to the three-time All-NBA guard.
Source: LakersNation.com
