NBA – Shams Charania sets the record straight on the Luka Doncic/LeBron James duo at the Lakers

Par Mathieu Seguin | Rédacteur sport

While Luka Doncic has become the Lakers’ priority for the coming seasons, LeBron James’ opinion remains important to the organization. Behind the scenes, the two men will obviously have their say, according to Shams Charania.

After yet another playoff disappointment, with this elimination against the Wolves by a dominant Rudy Gobert, the Lakers have their work cut out for them this summer. They need to find a great pivot, in particular to partner Luka Doncic and make his job easier. To do so, they’ll need a post-5 capable of defending the rim well, grabbing rebounds and catching lobs from the other side of the floor.

That’s a lot, but several players possess this profile like Nic Claxton, who happens to be available for the right price with the Nets. And as in February, we imagine that Rob Pelinka is already discussing with Doncic whether the Slovenian has a preference. Remember that it was he who suggested the arrival of Mark Williams in February.

Luka Doncic and LeBron James involved with the Lakers?

Yes, Doncic is important, and that shouldn’t surprise anyone. The Lakers are desperate to retain him over the long term to continue winning titles, so satisfying the demands of number 77 is mandatory to achieve this. But according to Shams Charania, even LeBron James continues to be involved in decision-making.

For while the player’s clan repeats that James doesn’t know everything, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know anything. He is sometimes questioned by his managers about a player, and if they can convince a free agent to come to Los Angeles this summer, it wouldn’t be the worst idea in the world. So James and Doncic will have their work cut out for them too.

@LakersBetter : “UPDATE: Part of the Lakers’ No. 1 objective this offseason includes seeing how LeBron James and Luka Dončić feel about the roster moving forward, per Shams Charania.”

There’s no doubt that a pivot is needed in the City of Angels, while a defensive winger, like Andrew Wiggins for example, wouldn’t go amiss. Doncic and James will in any case have their say, as they want a competitive roster to play for the championship in 2026. But they’ll have their work cut out for them, as the absence of a pivot doesn’t explain how the Lakers largely lost to the Wolves.