The Los Angeles Lakers saw their 2025-26 season come to an end in the second round of the playoffs against the Oklahoma City Thunder, where they were swept in four games.

The Lakers were without Luka Doncic for the entire series and the entire playoffs, as he suffered a hamstring injury in early April against the Thunder, sidelining him for the rest of the regular season and the playoffs.

Doncic is healthy to start the upcoming season, armed with a new squad that no longer features LeBron James or many of the top rotation players who helped lift the Lakers past the first round against the Houston Rockets with Doncic on the sidelines.

Speaking to Sports Illustrated and other members of the media, Doncic addressed how the Lakers’ season came to an end last season.

“I thought we had a team that could compete for a championship, so it was kind of disappointing, kind of let the team down, so it's definitely motivating for this season,” he said.

The Lakers were rolling in March, posting a 15-2 record with victories over the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, Cleveland Cavaliers, and Minnesota Timberwolves.

Doncic in particular was red hot, averaging 37.5 points, eight rebounds, 7.4 assists, and 2.3 steals on 49% shooting from the field and 39% from three while taking nearly 13 threes a game.

The Lakers were an offensive juggernaut, and their defense had found its identity, thanks in part to Doncic giving more effort and reading the game better on that end of the floor.

On top of everything, for the first time since Doncic was acquired in 2025, the trio of Doncic, Austin Reaves, and LeBron James looked like one unit playing together and accepting their roles rather than three separate players.

Luka is undoubtedly motivated coming into this season, not only due to how last season ended, but because this will be his team for the first time since he was traded to the Lakers.

Last season, Luka had to share the spotlight with LeBron, a player who casts the biggest shadow in the NBA. This year, LeBron is gone, and the front office worked to put a team that better complements Luka’s game around him, giving him the rim-running and rim-protecting big that he’s always desired, and flanking him with athletic three-and-D options.

Reaves is also back in the mix, arming Luka with a second star and creator to help take the pressure off of him.

As long as Luka can stay healthy, this team should be competitive.