The Los Angeles Lakers are not rebuilding around Luka Dončić — they are trying to load a championship-caliber roster around him. But one glaring weakness in their starting lineup threatens to unravel the entire plan before it even gets off the ground. This off-season marked a seismic shift for the franchise: LeBron James is gone, having signed with Philadelphia, and the Buss family’s historic control of the team has ended completely. The franchise, now valued at around $10 billion, was sold to Mark Walter, who recently also sold his controlling stake in Chelsea.
For the first time in decades, the Lakers enter a season where they are fully Luka’s team. With James out of the picture, the Lakers’ projected starting five looks like Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, Quentin Grimes, Jake LaRavia, and Walker Kessler. The core of Dončić, Reaves, and Kessler is elite on paper, but the immediate red flag is the power forward position. Jake LaRavia,though a capable rotation player, does not project as a championship-level starter.
Sandro Mamukelashvili, who joined the team this off-season, could stretch between positions and provide backup size, but he is more of a tweener than a definitive solution at the four. The team’s odds to win the title currently sit around 55 to 1, a number that suggests there is still significant work to be done. This roster predicament is not new to general manager Rob Pelinka. Last season, the team’s supporting cast was exposed in brutal fashion during the playoffs.
Deandre Ayton, Rui Hachimura, and Marcus Smart did not get the job done behind the big three of Luka, Reeves, and James. Pelinka responded by aggressively reshaping the roster. He paid a significant price to bring in Walker Kessler, added Quentin Grimes, brought in Collin Sexton, and drafted Cameron Carter. Yet, even after all that movement, the same core problem remains.
The Lakers still need a legitimate starting power forward, and they still lack reliable depth behind Kessler at the center spot. To fix the four spot, several names have been floated. P. J.
Washington of the Dallas Mavericks would make immediate basketball sense, given Dallas has a glut of frontcourt players like Daniel Gafford who they might look to unload. Naji Marshall could offer defensive flexibility without demanding the ball. Trey Murphy III of the Pelicans would be an almost perfect fit with his shooting, length, and athleticism, but his price tag could be astronomical because every team wants him. The Bucks could provide another avenue with a player like Caris LeVert.
And then there is the wild card: Klay Thompson, a veteran shooter with championship pedigree and a natural Los Angeles connection, as his father, Michael Thompson, played for the Lakers. However, none of these options solves the bigger underlying question: what are the Lakers willing to sacrifice? The backcourt depth behind Dončić and Reaves also remains a concern. Collin Sexton helps, and Cameron Carter is another option, but beyond that, the picture is murky.
Dalton Knecht remains a fascinating case after a trade to Charlotte collapsed when Mark Williams failed his physical. He never got back into the rotation, though, and his role has stayed limited. Other potential guard targets reportedly include Tre Jones of Chicago, Cam Spencer or Scotty Pippen Jr. of Memphis, and possibly a guard from Portland, where Damian Lillard is returning from an Achilles injury, Ja Morant has joined the mix, and players like Shaeden Sharpe and Scoot Henderson are competing for minutes.
Eventually, somebody could become available. As the Lakers prepare for training camp, the pressure is on Pelinka to make a statement. This is no longer LeBron’s Lakers; it is Luka’s Lakers. The foundation of Luka, Reaves, and Kessler is dangerous, but the Western Conference will not wait, and the championship window will not wait.
The 55-to-1 odds are not the number of a finished contender. The Lakers don’t just need a cosmetic move; they need a decisive one to make the new era truly terrifying.
