Razor-Thin Margins and Roster Fit: The Luka Question in L.A.
- Kyle Mucerino
- Mar 1
- 4 min read
Had he never been traded, Luka would have been beloved in Dallas even without winning a title. In Los Angeles, that won’t be the case.
With the Lakers seemingly in an all-out freefall, many are wondering whether a Luka-led team can actually win a championship. The Mavericks’ 2024 Finals run already feels like a distant memory, and the prevailing narrative about that group was simple: they were built perfectly around Luka — in a very specific way.
So what did that look like?
Let’s revisit the final 3:34 of Game 6 of the 2024 Western Conference Semifinals, when the No. 5 seed Mavericks closed out the No. 1 seed Thunder. It was posted on NBA’s YouTube page and can be found here.
The Mavs’ crunch-time group was Luka Dončić, Kyrie Irving, P.J. Washington, Derrick Jones Jr., and Dereck Lively II. Next to Luka, there was an elite secondary creator in Kyrie, two long and athletic wings in Washington and Jones who defended and knocked down open shots, and a rim-running lob threat in Lively.
That stretch opens with Dallas doubling Shai Gilgeous-Alexander before he crosses half court, leading to a wide-open Jalen Williams three that gives Oklahoma City a 108–107 lead with 3:28 remaining.
On the other end, Kyrie brings the ball up, guarded by Williams. Luka is defended by Lu Dort. Luka screens to force a switch, then Lively comes up to screen again. Eventually the ball swings back to Luka on the left wing, and when he catches it, the floor is completely spaced: Jones in the left corner, Washington in the right corner, Kyrie on the right wing, Lively in the dunker spot. As seen below.
Luka drives left. Jaylin Williams helps off Lively and blocks the shot. Jones grabs the loose ball and kicks it to Kyrie with two seconds on the shot clock. One quick dribble left, and Kyrie does what he does best — drills a contested jumper to put Dallas up 110–108.
The margins are razor-thin. Process over results.
The Thunder answer. Shai isolates on Washington, hits his patented pull-up from about 10 feet, and ties it at 110.
Dallas goes back to the Luka-Kyrie action, but Lively is called for an illegal screen. Turnover.
Next possession, Shai isolates again after a switch. This time he misses. Dallas rebounds.
Luka pushes in transition and isolates against Dort at the top. The floor is spaced perfectly again. As Luka drives right, Shai stunts off Washington to double (seen in pictures below). Chet Holmgren is late rotating from the corner. Luka fires it to Washington — splash. 113–110 Mavs.
The beginning of Luka’s drive, right before Shai goes to double. You can see Chet in the corner guarding Derrick Jones Jr and PJ Washington at the right wing guarded by Shai.
Shai flying back to Washington from the double team as Chet tries to contest from the corner. PJ Washington is mid-shot.
Moments later, Oklahoma City runs nearly the same action in reverse. Shai draws help and kicks to Holmgren for a clean three. Miss.
Immediately after Chet’s phantom screen, as he backpedals to the right wing. Lively helping off Chet and planted at the free throw line closer to Shai than he is to Chet.
Lively recovering to Chet as he takes a catch-and-shoot three off the pass from Shai.
Same process. Different result.
That’s the league.
Later, Kyrie finds himself trapped after a screen. He drives, kicks to Jones on the wing. Jones pump-fakes, returns it to Kyrie in the corner — blocked. Jones recovers with two seconds on the clock and fades over Holmgren as the buzzer sounds. 115–110 Dallas.
Again: bounce of the ball.
Shai answers immediately with a transition three. Then he orchestrates a late-game sequence that ends with a lob to Holmgren for a 116–115 Thunder lead with 20 seconds left.
Dallas doesn’t call timeout. Luka backs down Dort. Shai digs down from the corner, nearly strips him. Luka recovers and kicks to Washington. Pump fake. Shai flies by and fouls him on a three with 2.5 seconds left.
Washington hits the first two, intentionally misses the third. The Thunder heave falls short.
Dallas wins 117–116.
So what does that tell us about the 2025–26 Lakers?
The Mavericks’ formula around Luka was clear:
* A dynamic secondary creator (Kyrie).
* Two versatile, athletic wings who defend elite scorers and hit open threes.
* A rim-running, paint-protecting center.
Now look at the Lakers.
Instead of Lively, there’s Deandre Ayton. Instead of Kyrie, there’s Austin Reaves. On the wings, it’s LeBron James and Rui Hachimura/Marcus Smart instead of Washington and Jones.
LeBron, even in Year 23, is still LeBron. He made Second Team All-NBA last season. No team with him is automatically worse off. But next to Luka, he doesn’t fill the same role Dallas’ wings did — long, defensive-minded stoppers who guard the opponent’s best perimeter player while spacing the floor.
Hachimura is stronger against bigger forwards but struggles containing quicker guards. He’s more naturally a four than a true three. Smart brings defense, but not the same length or vertical spacing Dallas had.
Before the season, many Lakers fans said, “This isn’t the year. After a summer of roster reconstruction, then they’ll contend.”
Now, even some of those fans are wondering whether a Luka-centric team can truly win it all.
It also raises a tougher question: how elite are you be if you require such specific roster construction? The greatest players in league history were adaptable — basketball Swiss Army knives who could fit into multiple systems and styles.
The Luka Lakers are just over a year old. Continuity takes time. But as Luka approaches 27 — traditionally the beginning of a player’s prime — the clock is ticking.
In Dallas, he had patience and unconditional love.
In Los Angeles, he’ll need banners.
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