Luka Doncic was acquired by the Los Angeles Lakers in a shocking trade in February 2025 with the future of the franchise in mind.

LeBron James wasn’t going to be around forever, and though Austin Reaves was ascending, he wasn’t viewed as a long-term number-one option. Anthony Davis was supposed to be the guy to take the mantle from LeBron when he moved on, whether it was retirement or to a different team, but injury issues persisted.

Plus, whenever you get a chance to acquire a top five player in the league without giving up multiple first-round picks, you have to do it.

Now, the future is here as LeBron has moved on, deciding to join the Philadelphia 76ers in the offseason, and Luka is the leader of the team.

At the Lakers media day on Monday, Doncic addressed where things stand as the team moves forward without one of the greatest players of all time.

“It’s a new challenge. I was in this position in my career a lot of times. It’s not new to me. I feel great, and I feel excited. I’m ready to go,” he said.

The pressure has been on Luka from a young age, when he was highly touted in the EuroLeague and playing against older competition as a teenager. He was also the face of the franchise in Dallas, leading the team to the NBA Finals in 2024.

The situation with the Lakers is nothing new, though the spotlight is always a little brighter in Los Angeles.

Having Doncic made the decision to part ways with LeBron easier to swallow for Los Angeles. The three-star system worked when everything was clicking, but there were depth concerns that showed up in both playoff runs.

Luka and LeBron were just +1.1 when they were on the court together last season. Luka was +10.9 with LeBron off, and LeBron was +8.2 with Luka off. They worked better as individuals than they did as a duo.

Now, Luka has Reaves next to him, and they’ve been a proven combo, posting a +11.6 net rating together last season and a +14.9 net rating when LeBron was off the court.

Along with Reaves returning, the Lakers spent the offseason acquiring the right pieces to put around their star, trading for Walker Kessler, the big man Luka has always desired, and a number of athletic defensive wings who will accentuate his strengths and hide his weaknesses.