Luka Doncic did not need much time to showcase his talent with the Los Angeles Lakers. Just over a month has passed since his debut, and he has already become an essential part of the team. However, legend Magic Johnson believes the Slovenian guard will play an even bigger role in the future, and LeBron James will have a lot to do with that.
Commenting on the decision to bring Doncic to the Lakers during a chat on Byron Scott‘s Fast Break, Johnson explained: “I thought it was good in terms of you have somebody later, right, as a star after LeBron retires.”
Magic made it clear that Luka’s arrival will play a huge role in building the next era of the team once James is gone. By doing so, the franchise will save years trying to find the right player to fill that leadership role, while allowing time for the Slovenian guard to complete the logical adaptation process.
This is a lesson that may have been learned from the Lakers‘ previous transitions. When Johnson himself left basketball in 1991, despite a short-lived comeback in 1996, it was several years before Kobe Bryant emerged (and established himself) as the new leader. The same thing happened between Kobe’s retirement and LeBron’s arrival.
LeBron James and Luka Doncic of the Los Angeles Lakers during a game on February 10, 2025.
Regarding Luka’s impact on the court and his chemistry with James, Magic believes the team has significantly improved. “Offensively, it’s a good team, right? It’s a team you have to say, ‘Okay, man, we got two guys we got to try to control and stop,’” he said. “But both of those two guys are great passers, so they make the other players better.”
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Magic remembers the Showtime Lakers
In the same conversation, Magic Johnson reflected on his playing years as an example of the challenges the current Lakers team will face. “When Byron (Scott) and I played Coop (Michael Cooper), we would all have meetings, right? The guards would watch film together, then we’d watch it as a team, of course,” the former guard began recounting.
“We would say, ‘Okay, James (Worthy), they ain’t got nobody to guard you, so we coming to you.’ And so I said, ‘Cap, I’m going to give you the first couple, but then we going to go to James,'” Johnson recalled.
“Then I would say, ‘B, they don’t get back, so I’m going to be pushing that rock, and I’mma be coming to you, baby, so just be ready.’ See, we would look at you and break you down where you were weak, and then we would attack you, right? And so that’s what the Lakers are going to have to deal with once the playoffs come,” Magic reflected.
Magic Johnson discusses Lakers’ challenges
Continuing with this theory, Magic Johnson recalled the recent game in which the Boston Celtics defeated the Lakers 111-101 at TD Garden. “Boston looked up and said, ‘Okay, I’m going to put Luka in the pick-and-roll every single time.‘ And then Tatum had him saying, ‘Uh-oh, you on me? Okay, I’m just going to go past you or pull up for my jump shot,’ because he knew he could just beat him off the dribble,” the five-time NBA champion explained.
“They did the same thing to Austin Reaves. So the two dudes they wanted to attack were Luka and Austin Reaves off the dribble,” Magic added. “Jaylen Brown said, ‘Oh, my turn. You had a big first half, right? My turn now. My turn now.’ And that’s how they beat the Lakers.”
