The Los Angeles Lakers shocked the NBA world when they somehow pulled off a below-market-value trade for generational superstar Luka Doncic.
Could that happen again?
Probably not, according to The Athletic’s Lakers beat reporter Jovan Buha. He says that Doncic and LeBron James are both “untouchable” in deals.
Without dealing one of them, the Lakers couldn’t possibly pull off another Doncic-level trade.
Could a package of Austin Reaves, Dalton Knecht and picks land Giannis Antetokounmpo? It’s hard to say for sure, but it doesn’t quite feel like enough.
Regardless, it sounds like Doncic is staying put.
There’s really no surprise there, because the Lakers put all their eggs into his basket by getting him in the first place.
The Slovenian legend fit in pretty quickly, too, getting healthy and getting on the floor.
The chance for Doncic to play with LeBron was a treat for basketball nerds everywhere, and with an offseason to prepare, it’s likely they’ll have things way more figured out for the 2025-26 season.
Eventually (we think) James will retire and this will be fully Doncic’s team.
At that point, Doncic can control all that he wants. But in the meantime, James is still The King and the Lakers are now seeking to maintain their championship identity.
MORE: Could LeBron be traded? Beat writer gives the answer
