Luka Doncic’s insider note with chances comes with a catch

Luka Dončić will take revenge as he enters his first full season as a member Los Angeles Lakers. They will open the season at home, welcoming the Golden State Warriors in a battle between two division rivals.

At this point, there are a lot of questions surrounding the Lakers roster, especially in the middle LeBron James’ battle with sciatica. Their defense, in particular, will need a lot of work, and they will be tested almost immediately on Tuesday night with Stephen Curry and Jimmy Butler, among others, visiting town.

Doncic’s defensive effort has been criticized in the past, and even when he’s at his best, there are still some shortcomings on that part of the floor. The Lakers will have to put him in the best defensive role, and according to insider Jovan Buha from Athletic, Doncic will assume a defensive role power forward — with the team shielding him from on-ball assignments as much as possible, only asking him to be helpful on the weak side or perhaps when hitting a ball screen.

I have Rui in SF because he’s more likely to play 2s/3s against Luke. Ayton has been a great anchor and mobile big man throughout his career – you can argue either way – but I think he’s been used more as the former than the latter in the preseason.

— Jovan Buha (@jovanbuha) October 21, 2025

Doncic is not the freshest man, and although he seems to have lost weight from last season, he will never be an elite stopper. He’s not the worst defender in the world, as his 6’7″ frame means he has a defensive advantage. But even then, the Lakers will need to come up with smart plans to hide whatever deficiencies they have on the defensive end, especially when they’re starting another below-average defender in Austin Reaves.

This upcoming Lakers vs. Warriors contest is a good test of how this LA defense will fare.

Can the Lakers recapture last season’s defensive magic?

The Lakers have proven they can build an elite defense even with Doncic on the list. Now, a key piece of what made the Lakers’ defense so good is missing to finish the 2024-25 regular season, and James is left on the mend. But Redick is smart enough to know what works and what doesn’t.

LA has the personnel to help Doncic be at his best defensively. Gabe Vincent is a tested arm who can go over screens and at least stay in front of his man, Marcus Smart brings experience and vocal leadership, while Jared Vanderbilt, a multi-position defensive irritant, appears to be the healthiest right now.