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- LeBron James will miss a regular-season opener for the first time in his 23-year career due to a sciatic nerve injury.
- Luka Doncic takes center stage as the Lakers’ new franchise cornerstone, expected to draw MVP consideration in his first full season in L.A.
- The Lakers pursue their 18th championship in a brutally competitive Western Conference under second-year coach JJ Redick.
1
Screens in the practice facility display the Lakers’ three mantras. JJ Redick repeats them on a loop. Players have started to parrot them as well.
“Championship habits. Championship communication. Championship shape.”
From the team’s three points of focus to the black “obsession” T-shirts designed by general manager Rob Pelinka, winning the Lakers’ 18th title is task No. 1 in Redick’s second season in charge.
Here are five story lines after training camp as the team opens the regular season Tuesday against the Golden State Warriors:
2
How much will LeBron James play?
LeBron James’ 23rd NBA season is off to a precarious start as he will miss a regular-season opener for the first time because of a sciatic nerve injury. The soon-to-be 41-year-old still commands the attention of the league, but how much of that focus will be about his on-court exploits this season instead of retirement chatter?
With The King’s record-setting 23rd NBA season stalled by a sciatica issue, the franchise falls squarely on the Slovenian’s shoulders.
James was already nursing a knee injury in the playoffs last season. After playing in all 82 regular-season games for the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2017-18, James has averaged 59.9 games in his seven Lakers seasons. He has appeared in more than 70 games in each of the last two years, which has allowed him to stay eligible for postseason awards under the latest collective bargaining agreement, but his streak of 21 consecutive All-NBA teams could be in jeopardy.
He must appear in 65 games to remain eligible for postseason honors and will miss five to nine regular-season games before even being reevaluated because of a sciatic nerve problem, leaving little margin for injury the rest of the season.
3
How legitimate is Luka Doncic’s MVP campaign?
Luka Doncic will hold down leadership responsibilities until LeBron James can return to the court following a sciatic nerve injury.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
General managers surveyed by NBA.com gave Luka Doncic the second-most votes to be named most valuable player. The dynamic guard finished third in MVP voting in 2024 when he powered the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals and led the league in scoring.
Doncic proved he can get back to that form by wowing on the international stage at EuroBasket and dazzling in his limited preseason action. But most importantly, he’s settled into L.A. after last season’s seismic trade. The comfort has brought Doncic’s true personality back on the court as he traded jerseys with teammates in practice, cracked a sarcastic joke about when he “had to carry” Redick when they were teammates in Dallas and treated his teammates to a Porsche driving field trip.
Doncic can always deliver MVP-caliber numbers, but by taking on a larger leadership role, he hopes to be in position for more meaningful prizes.
“He’s motivated by winning,” Redick said. “I know this because I talk to him about it all the time. He’s motivated by winning and if we win at a high level, he will be in that conversation for MVP.”
Doncic still finished well behind MVP favorite Nikola Jokic, who got 67% of the general manager votes compared to Doncic’s second-place 10%. The Lakers have not had an MVP since Kobe Bryant in 2008.
4
Can Jarred Vanderbilt crack the starting lineup?
Jarred Vanderbilt, who Redick said is back to playing like his pre-injury self, could be the type of point-of-attack defender the Lakers need after losing Dorian Finney-Smith. But to really fit around Doncic, he has to provide some shooting threat on offense.
After battling with foot injuries for two seasons, Vanderbilt finally spent an offseason working on his game instead of rehabbing. It’s paid off in improved ballhandling and a smoother jump shot. But he was only two-for-13 shooting from three during the preseason.
“I’ve been very impressed by just the amount of work he’s done on his game,” Redick said. “And obviously his body is significantly better than this time last year, or even when the season ended. … The shot is sort of the big thing with him. If he can be a consistent three-point shooter for us, that unlocks a lot.”
5
How big of a role can Gabe Vincent take?
Lakers guard Gabe Vincent, battling Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg for a loose ball, average 16.3 points and shot 55.6% from three-point range in the preseason.
(Ian Maule / Associated Press)
Gabe Vincent’s Lakers tenure got off to a rocky start when a knee injury limited him to just 11 games in his first season. But healthy again, the 29-year-old starred in the preseason, averaging 16.3 points on 55.6% shooting from three-point range.
His reemergence comes perfectly for a team desperate for more outside shooting around Doncic. The 29-year-old guard is expected to start in the season opener in James’ place after earning the nod in the final preseason game. Getting on the court consistently again helps Vincent reinforce his status as a budding leader in the locker room that benefits from his reliable, professional approach.
“There’s a steadiness that is required to stay sane,” Redick said. “There’s a steadiness that’s required to gain the respect of your teammates and coaches. There’s a steadiness that’s evident that can, like, literally infiltrate the culture of the team. And Gabe is part of that. … You watch that guy do a rep in practice, a rep in an individual workout, everything is just top notch.”
6
Can the Lakers keep up in the West?
The Lakers got better during the offseason. So did seemingly every other Western Conference contender. Considering the strength in the conference, hanging on for the No. 6 seed to avoid the play-in this season could be harder than what the Lakers did last year to secure the No. 3 seed.
The Oklahoma City Thunder are still at the beginning of their championship window. Denver, Houston and the Clippers all made key free agent moves this offseason to close the gap.
The Lakers addressed major concerns by adding shooting and rim protection with their three major offseason signings of Marcus Smart, Jake LaRavia and Deandre Ayton. Doncic and Reaves are capable of carrying the offense until James returns, and Rui Hachimura has the runway to break through as a more potent offensive threat. Competing in the Western Conference will be a task bigger than any one player.
“We have to do it as a collective,” Reaves said. “I’m just excited to start the regular season, I’m glad to be with the guys we got, hopefully put together a lot of wins.”
