For a franchise built on big moments and bold moves, the Los Angeles Lakers have felt aimless for the past few years. Yes, they have Luka Doncic. Yes, they still have LeBron James (at least for now). And yes, they are always going to be linked to stars.
The real issue with the Lakers right now is not talent, it is direction. Or in this situation, the lack of one.
As Jovan Buha recently said on his podcastBuha’s Block: “There are certain teams and organizations and GMs and presidents that have a certain ethos… I don’t know what the Lakers’ ethos is.”
Lakers keep changing course and getting nowhere
He is right. The Lakers do not have a “type.” There is no obvious through line in the players they sign, the prospects they draft, or the rosters they build.
The last few years have been a carousel of “maybe this guy works”, and that is a dangerous way to build around any star, and they can’t afford to do the same with Doncic.
Take a look at the other teams around the league. The Oklahoma City Thunder have a clear direction: they build around youth and chemistry. The Golden State Warriors build around shooting, IQ, and small-ball movement. The Boston Celtics prioritize two-way toughness, versatility and guys that can let it fly from beyond the arc.
Even the San Antonio Spurs, during the era of Gregg Popovich, Tim Duncan, Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker, had a clear direction. They prioritized surrounding their stars with role players who have a certain character type, discipline, and team-first mentality.
The Lakers seem to have no idea what they are doing. They put out a new plan every season and hope one sticks. One season, it is spacing. Next, it is big bodies. Then it is vets. Then it is youth. They are constantly pivoting, and that makes it nearly impossible to build long-term chemistry or cohesion.
This is a big problem. It is nearly impossible to build something sustainable without a plan. Good news for them, they have the perfect opportunity to learn from their mistakes.
Their new owner, Mark Walter, needs to do whatever he can to focus on surrounding Doncic with guys who work well with him. So far, it seems like he is trying. They made sure to bring in Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart. Those were guys Doncic wanted to recruit.
Two guys will not cut it. The Lakers have an incredible scorer and a generational passer on their hands. Doncic is one of the best at generating open corner threes in NBA history. But if you do not surround him with shooters, switchable wings, and a rim-running big man, what is the point?
Right now, this team consists of way too many one-way players. Guys who thrive on offence but struggle on the defensive end, or guys who are ball hounds but struggle to get the ball in the bucket.
If the Lakers are serious about this next era, they need to commit to something. It cannot be just chasing names. It cannot be just hoping something clicks. They need a real direction.