Luka Doncic was traded exactly one week ago from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers, in a deal that also included Anthony Davis and Max Christie, and that has reverberated throughout the league. With the arrival of the Slovenian superstar, the final stage of LeBron James‘ career is poised for a major transformation, according to a former NBA All-Star point guard.
“I think it buys Bron time,” Baron Davis stated on The Draymond Green Show. “I think LeBron now has a new focus. He now gets to go out as the guru, mentor, the sensei, and he still has three to four years with Luka to figure out what their dynamic is.”
Davis, who earned All-Star honors in both 2002 and 2004 as a member of the Charlotte Hornets, explained that the addition of Doncic enhances the Lakers’ chances for success both this season and beyond. “You’ve got LeBron and Luka, you ain’t doing bad. You can be a contender if you put the right pieces in place,” he said.
But Baron didn’t stop there—he also emphasized how Luka’s presence could rejuvenate James. “I think it probably breathes new life into LeBron,” he added. “It’s no pressure on him now. The pressure is him just being a sensei.”
Former Charlotte Hornets star Baron Davis.
Baron Davis breaks down the Lakers’ new dynamic
With the departure of Anthony Davis and Max Christie, two key contributors for the Los Angeles Lakers, the team now faces the challenge of adjusting their style of play to incorporate Doncic and newly acquired center Mark Williams.
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“A LeBron James, a Luka Doncic backcourt, our cornerstones of the frontcourt and backcourt—c’mon, man,” Baron Davis said. “Luka is a 50-point party waiting to happen. So now LeBron can focus on his 23 points, 13 assists, and go into the paint to fix the game to his liking.”
Finally, Davis expressed optimism regarding the Lakers’ future. “I think it works both ways because LeBron can set the stage, and now he’s got a real closer. Somebody who is going to take that shot so he gets to see a different part of himself,” the former point guard concluded.
Doncic’s debut still pending
Although it has been a week since the confirmation of his trade to the Los Angeles Lakers, Luka Doncic has yet to make his official debut with the team. He remains in the final stages of recovering from a calf injury that has sidelined him for the entire 2025 thus far. As a result, Doncic has been ruled out for the Lakers’ upcoming game against the Indiana Pacers this Saturday.
The most optimistic scenario for the Slovenian guard is that he will regain full fitness and rhythm over the weekend, potentially allowing him to make his long-awaited debut on Monday when the Lakers face the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena.
