Just days ago, the NBA world was rocked by one of the most shocking trades in league history. The Dallas Mavericks sent Luka Doncic, Maxi Kleber, and Markieff Morris to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for Anthony Davis and a 2029 first-round pick. Now, Lakers head coach JJ Redick is eager to see how the pairing of Doncic and LeBron James will unfold.
The Lakers are setting the stage for the future, with Doncic expected to become the face of the franchise once LeBron decides to retire. Until then, the two superstars will share the court for at least the remainder of the 2024-25 season. Beyond that, James’ decision on whether to extend his career remains uncertain.
It might seem challenging to make two superstar players work seamlessly together, but Redick doesn’t see it as an issue. He believes both players will complement each other and be highly productive on the court.
“You have two guys who have a high level of basketball intelligence that I’m very confident whether it’s playing a two-man game, a three-man game, playing minutes without each other…they’re gonna be productive,” Redick explained before the Lakers’ matchup with the Clippers. “They’re gonna excel. I think for both those guys, they have a killer’s mentality, and that’s exciting”.
Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates a lead with Dorian Finney-Smith #17 during a 122-97 Lakers win over the LA Clippersat Intuit Dome. (Harry How/Getty Images)
Charles Barkley skeptical about James-Doncic duo
While Redick and much of the basketball world are optimistic about the LeBron-Doncic partnership, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley has expressed doubt. Barkley believes the pairing could face significant hurdles, particularly because both players are used to dominating the ball.
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“This thing is not going to be smooth in LA with him and LeBron because both of them want the ball 100% of the time,” Barkley said during an appearance on NBA TV. “Luka does not move without the ball. LeBron does not move without the ball“.
Barkley continued by acknowledging the greatness of both players but predicted growing pains as they figure out how to coexist. “There’s gonna be some serious growing pains when those two try to play together,” he added. “Now, they’re both great players, don’t get me wrong, but LeBron wants the ball, and Luka definitely wants the ball. So it’s going to be very interesting how that works out”.
Danny Green says Doncic can learn a valuable lesson from LeBron
Former Lakers champion Danny Green also weighed in on the blockbuster trade, focusing on what Doncic could learn from playing alongside James. Green highlighted the ongoing criticism about Doncic’s conditioning and suggested that LeBron’s legendary dedication to his physical health could be a valuable lesson for the young star.
“The biggest criticism we’ve heard about Luka thus far is his body, and how he hasn’t taken care of it. So, that’s probably the most important thing he can learn from LeBron,” Green said, via ESPN. “If anybody has the blueprint of making your career last a long time, it’s LeBron James”.
As the league watches this duo take the court together, one thing is certain: all eyes will be on Los Angeles to see if Doncic and James can create the chemistry needed to lead the Lakers back to championship glory.
