The LA Lakers have changed overnight since getting Luka Doncic, and are now legitimate contenders. But recent performances have raised some concerns about Doncic’s style of play and how it’s affecting LeBron James. Is Luka’s ball domination causing cracks in what was a budding partnership? Let’s get into it.
Luka Doncic’s Arrival: A Game-Changer for the Lakers
There’s no denying Luka Doncic has brought a whole new level of fun to the Lakers. He can create offense out of thin air and has the best court vision in the NBA. Since getting to the Lakers, Doncic has fit in seamlessly with LeBron James, and the two superstars looked like they could lead the team back to the Finals.
General Manager Rob Pelinka deserves credit for making this happen. Getting Doncic felt like the missing piece. For weeks, the pairing of Doncic and James was unstoppable, with both superstars finding ways to play off each other.
Recent Signs of Trouble: Ball Hogging Debate Heats Up
But over the last few games cracks are starting to show in the Lakers. Specifically Luka Doncic holding onto the ball too much is becoming a hot topic. Even Doncic himself said after a recent loss to the Chicago Bulls that the team needs to go back to how they were winning earlier in the season.
But it wasn’t until Chris Broussard chimed in on Fox Sports that the criticism got out of hand. Broussard didn’t sugarcoat it when talking about the Lakers’ struggles especially the loss to the Orlando Magic:
“Luka Doncic is a ball hog. A great ball hog. A Hall of Fame ball hog – a future Hall of Famer. An all time ball hog. He’s a ball hog.”
Broussard elaborated more on how this becomes a problem when paired with someone like LeBron James:
“This was ridiculous. You got all these guys standing, watching you. He took nine shots in the first quarter… It’s one thing to be a ball hog when you have Tim Hardaway as a teammate. Heck, even Jalen Brunson and Kyrie Irving. But when you are going five out and everybody is standing there, watching you operate and LeBron James is a teammate? That ain’t good.”
The Defensive Fallout: Morale Takes a Hit
According to Broussard, Doncic’s ball-dominant style doesn’t just hurt the offense—it also affects the team’s defense. When players are reduced to spectators while Doncic operates, it takes away their engagement on both ends of the floor:
“This is related to the defense. When you are just watching one guy operate… That takes away from your morale. Especially when that guy can’t defend.”
Doncic’s defensive limitations have been a topic of discussion for a while now but now they are compounding issues on the offense. If teammates feel disconnected or disengaged because of Doncic’s long possessions, it creates a ripple effect that can crash the whole team.
Can LeBron James Reign Luka In?
One solution lies with LeBron James, who is the undisputed leader of the Lakers locker room. According to Broussard, James is the only one who can talk to Doncic:
“None of the other players can say anything to Luka… He got used to doing this with LeBron out… He’s gotta come back and regroup now that LeBron is back.”
If Doncic doesn’t change his ways, Broussard says James may need to step in:
“If he doesn’t, LeBron is the only one [who can talk to him]. I don’t even think Redick could say something. I don’t know if it will come to that.”
Since they played well together earlier in the season, there’s hope Doncic and James can find their chemistry again. But it will require compromise—and probably some tough conversations—on both sides.
The Blueprint to Stopping Luka?
Broussard pointed out that the Orlando Magic showed the blueprint to defend against Doncic and the Lakers. Force him into isolation and dare others to beat you and they can exploit the lack of movement and ball sharing in the Lakers offense.
Will this work? We’ll see. But it’s clear Doncic needs to adapt to his teammates not the other way around.