Lakers are foolishly ignoring Mavericks' proven blueprint to make Luka Doncic happy

Despite a roster featuring two of the most talented players of this millennium, the Los Angeles Lakers sit at 37–24, precariously holding the sixth seed in the Western Conference. Even with LeBron James and Luka Doncic sharing the floor (alongside breakout star Austin Reaves), the roster appears ill-equipped to properly complement its primary offensive engine: Doncic.

It's almost as if the Lakers have ignored the easily replicable blueprint the Dallas Mavericks constructed just a year prior, when they rode Doncic's brilliance all the way to the NBA Finals.

Yet, there should be an asterisk there. More specifically, it was Doncic’s offensive brilliance. The former Mavericks star averaged career highs of 33.9 points and 9.8 assists per game en route to his only NBA Finals appearance. But even though No. 77 was Dallas’ offensive engine, the Mavericks would not have reached the Finals without a stellar complementary surrounding cast.

Mavericks built the perfect Luka Doncic blueprint

After managing only 38 wins the year prior, in 2022–23, the Mavericks knew changes had to be made to better equip their generational superstar with the pieces necessary to succeed. Thus, Dallas emphasized surrounding their defensively deficient passing wizard, Doncic, with the ideal complementary talent.

The process actually began a bit earlier, when Dallas acquired disgruntled guard Kyrie Irving at the trade deadline—though that move was clearly made with the future in mind. Then, following the disappointing 2022–23 campaign, Dallas drafted 7-foot-1 center Dereck Lively II with the 12th overall pick.

Although Lively II was far from refined (having averaged just 5.2 points and 5.4 rebounds in 20.6 minutes per game while at Duke), he projected as the ideal pick-and-roll partner for Doncic and a defensive anchor capable of masking the perimeter shortcomings of a backcourt featuring Doncic and Irving.

Following the draft, the Mavericks made several savvy free-agent signings without breaking the bank. Dallas added 6-foot-6 3-and-D forward Derrick Jones Jr., rangy combo guard Dante Exum, and enforcer Grant Williams, though Williams was eventually traded for an even more complementary player.

Speaking of Williams being traded, Dallas sent the former Boston Celtic wing to the Charlotte Hornets in exchange for the similarly physical but more productive P.J. Washington. The Mavs then sent Richaun Holmes and a first-round pick to acquire another pick-and-roll partner for Doncic in rim-running center Daniel Gafford.

Suddenly, Dallas had everything a Luka-centric roster needs: rim-running centers, switchable defenders, and athletic wings who could finish plays created by the Slovenian star. The result was an NBA Finals appearance.

Lakers are ignoring this formula

Of course, Doncic was miraculously traded less than a year after advancing to the NBA Finals—to the Lakers. While Los Angeles possessed a strong enough infrastructure to secure a third-place berth in the Western Conference, its roster construction proved far too top-heavy and lasted only five games before the Lakers were bounced from the postseason.

In the offseason, the Lakers made a few splashy, albeit somewhat naive, moves. Los Angeles added Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart. While the moves appeared savvy in theory, Ayton is far from the rim-running, rim-protecting center needed to maximize Doncic's passing wizardry, while Smart is far removed from his Defensive Player of the Year peak with the Celtics.

As a result, the Lakers’ middling season has largely reflected those flaws. Although a trio of Doncic, James, and Reaves is as talented as any in the league, the group is defensively deficient and leans heavily toward ball dominance.

The Lakers appear unaware of their own roster composition, adding talent rather than complementary pieces. Doncic is a perennial MVP candidate, much like James was for the better part of a decade. And what did James’ teams do to maximize his talent? They built around him… adding lob-catchers and 3-point marksmen. Following that recipe, and the Dallas Mavericks’ 2023–24 blueprint, isn’t complicated. Yet the Lakers have ignored it altogether.