The unexpected trade between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Dallas Mavericks sent both teams into a total scheme shift midseason. Luka Doncic is his own offensive engine, capable of elevating a team all by himself with his shot creation and playmaking. Anthony Davis is a great player in his own right, but he's far from the creator Doncic is.
That philosophy shift forces everyone to adjust midseason, even players as great as LeBron James, who spoke about adjusting to Doncic's style of play on a recent episode of the "Mind the Game" podcast with former Mavericks Luka Doncic and Steve Nash.
READ MORE: Luka Doncic reveals what he's learned from LeBron James on Lakers
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James
Apr 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) reacts during the first half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
"It's always his pace. It's always been his pace," James said. "It's never been a game be like, 'OK, you can speed me up, he can speed me up, this bigger guy can be more physical, the smaller guy can get up underneath me.' He moves at his own pace, and he's never ever been on the floor where he's allowed someone to dictate where they're going to put him on the floor. It's always been the opposite.
"For us, we're all working off that, just gotta stay ready. Obviously, we've seen throughout his career, there's plays and passes that certain guys in the league's history have ever been able to make.
"For us, we all just have to make sure we continue to stay ready, especially when you're going against antsy teams, athletic teams, teams that try to speed you up. We always have to keep our head on a swivel 'cause you just never know, never know when the ball may find you. And that's a good thing, that's keeping the defense off-balance."
The Lakers will look to retool around the two superstars as James heads into his 23rd NBA season and still playing the game at a high level. Doncic is also working on his body this offseason, a major criticism from the Mavericks and the media after the trade.
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