Amidst the exciting offseason for the NBA, it seems like the darkest cloud looming over the Lakers hasn’t been forgotten – what to do after LeBron James retires? And it seems like a popular thread of discussion is once again in high demand – the linking of superstars to the Los Angeles franchise. Of course, the Purple & Gold does have Anthony Davis. But who’s going to help him?
Per Shaqcast producer, Rob Jenners, the latest superstar to be linked to the Lakers, is Luka Doncic. In fact, even a few talking heads have been discussing how a trade would look. But 7x champion, Robert Horry, himself a Laker for six years, believes it’s a deal that wouldn’t go through.
Robert Horry is sure that Luka Doncic to the Lakers isn’t a formula for success
And he has his reasons, some of which are downright comical! “You gotta think about this. Luka’s be gonna how old? Like 31, 32? … He ain’t the best defensive player now and that’s the Lakers’ problem! You got to have some athletic guys that can play some defense and Luka, he can score the best of them, but we also know you got to take beers out of his hand, because he ain’t the one that stay in shape!” Horry said hilariously in the latest episode of Bog Shot Bob Podcast.
The way forward for the Lakers is through Anthony Davis… is it, though?
LeBron James can practically do everything on the court. And more importantly, he wanted to be a Laker. As Jenners pointed out, “This was his move as much as anybody’s.” That there is the difference. Coming to a team because they offer a boatload of money and coming to a team because it is the place you actually want to make a world of difference.
Doncic can make insane shots in the most unbelievable ways, but defense isn’t his strong suit. He had a defensive rating of 109.1 in his rookie season, reaching the peak in 2022-23 (113.3). However, the last season saw a slight dip – 112.6. That said, the Mavericks ranked second in defensive rating (107.3) among teams and the 25-year-old ranked at the top (102.5) among players in the final month of the regular season.
And as for the beer comment, Luka does love his beer. After clinching their Finals spot for the first time since 2011, the 5x All-Star deemed it okay to celebrate the win with a beer. However, the Mavs executive, Michael Finley, swiped the can right off his hand and went straight for a hug with Doncic’s dad, Sasa. Needless to say, the amusing interaction made for quality entertainment.
While Horry said it humorously, we cannot deny that the man does have a point.
And that’s why ‘Big Shot Rob’ thinks that Anthony Davis would do well to make some friends around the league. “You better hope AD make some friends around the league.” At the very least, the friendship factor could prove to be a deciding factor besides the money and being a storied franchise. But his co-host, the other producer of Shaqcast, “B-Dog” Brandon Harper, feels “The Brow” might not be able to carry the team. And why is that?
“I don’t know… AD will be 30. Well, he is 30!” Technically, the 6’10 forward is 31. So, yes, the age is a valid concern. Add the injury history to his case as the next leader and you have a … well, a not-so-solid case. There’s no doubt that Anthony Davis can be a solid secondary superstar, the Robin to Batman. The 9x All-Star’s defense, rebounding, and scoring around the rim are elite. But there’s a reason why he has yet to win the DPOY. And it’s not a lack of skills.
So, in short, the Lakers’ future after LeBron James is, in a word, uncertain. Of course, a lot of things can happen between now and then. But one thing seems to be certain – Luka Doncic is not the solution. Or as Horry puts it, “He gonna be good but he ain’t gonna be what you need.”