Lakers Face Criticism for Sticking with Luka Doncic Over LeBron James; Trade Him to Maximize Value
The Los Angeles Lakers' decision to keep Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic has been met with skepticism from sports analysts, who believe that trading him would be the best move for the team to compete for another NBA championship.
According to reports and public statements, it appears that the Lakers are committed to building around Doncic, but experts like Max Kellerman and Rich Paul argue that this approach is flawed. In a recent podcast discussion, Kellerman suggested that if the Lakers want to win a title, they should consider trading Doncic and maximizing his value while he's at his peak.
Kellerman believes that a team needs its best player to be willing to play team defense, like Steph Curry, who is not an ideal defender but is willing to do so. He also points out that Doncic and Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves are redundant players, with Doncic being under contract for a few more years after re-signing this offseason.
The criticism of the Lakers' approach comes as they struggle with defensive issues, which have been a point of concern throughout the season. With head coach JJ Reddick urging his star players to play stronger defense, it seems that the team is still struggling to get it right.
Despite their impressive record of 24-14 and fifth place in the Western Conference, the Lakers' underlying analytics suggest they should be performing worse. Their ability to come from behind in clutch victories has been a key factor in their success this season, but even if some of those wins had gone the other way, they might not be as competitive.
The tension around the team is starting to show, with online forums filled with cries of "trade Luka" and speculation about which players might be on the move. Doncic's next game against the Charlotte Hornets will likely attract attention, but for now, it remains to be seen whether he'll be able to inspire a change in direction for the Lakers.
The Los Angeles Lakers' decision to keep Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic has been met with skepticism from sports analysts, who believe that trading him would be the best move for the team to compete for another NBA championship.
According to reports and public statements, it appears that the Lakers are committed to building around Doncic, but experts like Max Kellerman and Rich Paul argue that this approach is flawed. In a recent podcast discussion, Kellerman suggested that if the Lakers want to win a title, they should consider trading Doncic and maximizing his value while he's at his peak.
Kellerman believes that a team needs its best player to be willing to play team defense, like Steph Curry, who is not an ideal defender but is willing to do so. He also points out that Doncic and Lakers shooting guard Austin Reaves are redundant players, with Doncic being under contract for a few more years after re-signing this offseason.
The criticism of the Lakers' approach comes as they struggle with defensive issues, which have been a point of concern throughout the season. With head coach JJ Reddick urging his star players to play stronger defense, it seems that the team is still struggling to get it right.
Despite their impressive record of 24-14 and fifth place in the Western Conference, the Lakers' underlying analytics suggest they should be performing worse. Their ability to come from behind in clutch victories has been a key factor in their success this season, but even if some of those wins had gone the other way, they might not be as competitive.
The tension around the team is starting to show, with online forums filled with cries of "trade Luka" and speculation about which players might be on the move. Doncic's next game against the Charlotte Hornets will likely attract attention, but for now, it remains to be seen whether he'll be able to inspire a change in direction for the Lakers.
. The guy is a generational talent and the Lakers need him to stay competitive in this stacked Western Conference. Max Kellerman's point about having one superstar willing to play team defense isn't entirely valid – what elite player does that? 
Doncic's contract situation might be a concern, but I think it's worth giving him an extension or re-signing him for the long haul. He's the key to their championship hopes and you can't put a price on that 
. The Lakers' defensive issues are legit, but trading Luka won't solve them – they need to work on that aspect of their game ASAP 
. I think this whole "trade Luka" frenzy is just noise and panic from fans who haven't seen the team's full potential yet 
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, can't they just make up their minds about Luka? Trading him or not is all they're thinking about, meanwhile they're getting roasted on D 
They're stuck with Doncic for a few more years, but that's not a solution to their problems - it's just a Band-Aid. Get rid of Reaves and try to get some actual defense up in there, then we'll talk about maximizing Luka's value 
. The Lakers' defensive issues are still a thing, but it's not like they're the only team struggling in that department... LeBron's been playing with some injuries and stuff too 
. Doncic's under contract for a bit longer, so let's see how things play out. Maybe he'll surprise us all 
I mean, if someone can make the team better by trading him, then do it 
I get why they wanna keep him he's literally a superstar and a franchise player but at the same time I think max kellerman might be onto something here... like what's up with that combo of luka and reaves on the court? it just feels like redundant magic 
and don't even get me started on the defense 
jj reddick needs to step up his game if he wants those guys to start playing some solid D. but at the same time i love luka's passion and energy on the court 
so maybe instead of trading him they could just tweak their strategy a bit? idk I'm all over the place rn
. They're making some good moves on paper, signing some new players and re-signing Luka, but I'm not sure it's enough to overcome their defensive issues. And yeah, trading Luka might make sense in the short term to maximize value, but what about the impact on the team culture? It's like they're saying "we've got our superstars, now just get out of our way" 