Lakers newsletter: Some random thoughts about the team with the playoffs drawing closer

Los Angeles Times

27-02-2025

Hey everyone, I'm Dan Woike and welcome back to The Times' Lakers Newsletter, a chance for me to escape from the monotony of writing about the Lakers to write two paragraphs about basketball, after like 700 or so more words about the Lakers.
We're starting to enter this strange stage of the season; the playoff push hasn't truly started but it's too close to ignore. So welcome to the in-between.
In honor of that premise, here are 28 thoughts about the Lakers at this stage in the season.
1. Luka Doncic isn't close to being over the trade from the Dallas Mavericks to the Lakers, but in conversations with people around him, that shock eventually is going to turn to motivation and anger.
2. Why was he so upset by the trade? Best anyone can tell, Doncic had hoped to finish his career in Dallas much like Dirk Nowitzki did.
3. The grand conspiracies surrounding the Doncic trade almost all have been debunked.
4. The most agreed-upon truth, in its simplest terms, being that Dallas just didn't believe in him as the centerpiece any longer, especially with a massive supermax looming.
5. Nothing shocking here, but the Lakers have been operating as a team that hopes to secure Doncic's long-term commitment.
6. He's extension eligible this summer.
7. People who have worked with Doncic know how stung he's been by all of this, and you could see the emotional toll Tuesday's game with the Mavericks took on him.
8. Good news is that he has to do that only one more time — in the regular season.
9. Sweet sassy molassy, the Jordan 'All My Exes' ad is wonderful.
10. I asked JJ Redick about LeBron James' defense after the win over the Mavs, and while I didn't expect him to say he thought James has been all-defensive-team good, the 40-year-old star has to have played himself onto some MVP ballots.
11. Long term, being around LeBron is going to be great for Doncic, and short term, being around Doncic is going to be great for LeBron.
12. James' work as a catch-and-shoot threat (he's been over 40% these last two seasons) is a crazy testament to his ever-evolving game, even in Season 22.
13. Watching Kyrie Irving attack the Lakers' defense made it clear that they really could use a Max Christie type.
14. Klay Thompson, who hilariously thought Doug Christie was Max Christie's father, told me Max is 'oozing with potential' and that he's been really impressed with Max's maturity.
15. The Doncic trade is the move we'll remember from this season, but adding Dorian Finney-Smith was a total toughness transfusion.
16. The 'Gortat screen' — a pick set underneath the basket for a driving player— that DFS set was one of a handful of monster 'little things' plays that he made against Dallas.
17. He finished that game one for six from the field and still was one of the most important players on the court in crunch time.
18. This is what people mean when they talk about 'winning basketball,' players who can move the needle even when they don't put the ball in the basket.
19. Speaking of extensions, I wouldn't hold my breath that Austin Reaves signs one this offseason. He's headed for a huuuuuge raise in the summer of 2026.
20. While Reaves' catch-and-shoot game isn't his biggest strength, he's at least had the good sense to knock down the two threes he's gotten off absurd, no-look, kick-back passes from Doncic.
21. There are 15 players in the NBA averaging at least 19 points, six assists and four rebounds — a list that includes Nikola Jokic, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Domantas Sabonis, Damian Lillard, Devin Booker, Stephen Curry, Cade Cunningham, James Harden, De'Aaron Fox, Scottie Barnes, LaMelo Ball and Ja Morant.
22. The other three players — LeBron James, Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves — play for the Lakers.
23. So yeah, Reaves is gonna get paid.
24. The two Lakers who could see their stock rise most playing with Doncic have to be Jaxson Hayes, the last center standing, and Rui Hachimura.
25. Hachimura, who has become a corner-three specialist, also is going to feast at the rim off baseline cuts against defenses that rightfully will be focused on Doncic, James and Reaves on the perimeter.
26. The arguments against waiving a roster player to make way for Jordan Goodwin aren't very strong.
27. A huge part of coaching is getting buy-in from your players, and the Lakers have bought in to Redick and the coaching staff's game plans.
28. The tests over the next month are going to be brutal, and the Lakers have been streaky all season. But they've proven that they're dangerous, provided they keep playing this hard.
'Never as Tired as When I'm Waking Up' by LCD Soundsystem
If it seems like my random thoughts ran out of steam — well, that's very perceptive of you. The thing about the in-between season is that the games are starting to stack up and the good nights of sleep are too fleeting. I'll try better next time — provided I get eight solid hours.
In return to L.A., Anthony Davis recounts 'all the emotions' since his shocking trade
Luka Doncic struggles against his old team, but LeBron James' big fourth lifts Lakers
Max Christie returns home to L.A. … as a visitor with the Mavericks
LeBron and Bronny James file response to car crash lawsuit, denying 'each and every allegation'
'Dogfight for playoff seeding': How the Lakers are preparing for the wars to come
Luka Doncic dominates as Lakers finally end eight-game losing streak in Denver
Kobe Bryant greets Laker Luka Doncic in new L.A. mural based off 2019 meeting at game