What would a future with LeBron James, Anthony Davis, and limited trade capital have looked like? The Los Angeles Lakers probably try not to think about it too hard. Why would they? They have Luka Doncic to steer the ship for the new era of this franchise.
And boy oh boy is Doncic a great captain at the helm.
The Lakers superstar has been sensational to start the 2025-26 season. Los Angeles is shaping up to be the contender that the critics did not believe in.
As Americans gear up to celebrate Thanksgiving, it offers one more opportunity for the Lakers and their fans to be thankful for the trade that brought Doncic to Los Angeles. It truly is never an undersell to say that move completely changed the trajectory of the franchise.
Luka Doncic gives the Lakers a centerpiece for the next decade
The effects of having Doncic in the mix are already crystal clear. The Lakers are 13-4, and there is clear self-belief that radiates from the team. An anonymous scout summarized the feeling well.
“When you have Luka, you’re always going to be in the mix,” a West scout told Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
Doncic has delivered MVP-caliber basketball to start the season for the Lakers. With every passing game there is some type of new and historic feat for the superstar point guard.
Historic start for Luka Dončić 📈 pic.twitter.com/vvCqWqlgVR
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) November 25, 2025
Thus far, Doncic is leading the league in scoring, averaging 35.2 points per game. To go with that, Luka is adding 8.8 rebounds, 9.2 assists, and 1.9 steals per game as well. The Slovenian sensation has a 61.6 true shooting percentage, while registering .236 win shares per-48 minutes.
There is an excitement of the Lakers being a move or two away from truly competing for a championship this season. The comforting part of that is even if that window is missed, the overall one is far from closed as long as Doncic is in Los Angeles.
That is a very different set of circumstances than what the Lakers would have been forced to deal with before the trade. Having James and Davis at the forefront would have meant either selling out completely to win now, or embracing a concrete retool at a near point of the future.
Instead, the Lakers and the fanbase can dream of what happens next. Having Doncic is certainly an attractive sell to any players who could potentially see their future in Los Angeles. That is especially true given just how well this campaign is going.
The Lakers have a clear and firm foundation, and future, with Doncic. The warm turkey should come with the equally comforting thought of that.