The Los Angeles Lakers didn’t simply retool their roster this offseason after moving on from LeBron James.
According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, they built it around Luka Dončić.
Appearing on NBA Today, McMenamin said Dončić is enthusiastic about the Lakers’ offseason additions and believes the organization has assembled the type of supporting cast capable of helping him compete for a championship.
“I checked in with someone close to Luka who told me in a word he’s excited about the moves that they made,” McMenamin said. “Now recognizes that there’s a lot of work ahead of them, but feels like this is going to give the requisite kind of wind behind his own sails to march toward the championship.”
For the first full offseason since making Dončić the face of the franchise, Los Angeles has prioritized fit over star power, surrounding the six-time All-NBA guard with players who complement his game on both ends of the floor.
ESPN: Luka’s Influence Is Everywhere
McMenamin stopped short of saying Dončić personally selected every acquisition.
But he made clear the Lakers’ roster construction reflects the type of team the Slovenian superstar wanted.
“His fingerprints are all over this roster,” McMenamin said. “And I’m not saying that Luka told Rob Pelinka specifically every one of these names, but certainly there’s an endorsement.”
The clearest example is Walker Kessler.
Throughout the offseason, the Lakers prioritized upgrading the center position before completing a blockbuster trade for the 7-foot-2 defensive anchor.
“Walker Kessler, get me an A-list center,” McMenamin said. “Here’s your A-list center. One of the best rim protectors and a guy who can roll toward the rim, play offense with Luka.”
Kessler’s elite rim protection, rebounding and vertical spacing project to give Dončić the type of pick-and-roll partner he enjoyed during his years with the Dallas Mavericks.
McMenamin also pointed to Quentin Grimes, another former Mavericks teammate, as an addition that naturally fits Dončić’s style of play.
The Lakers also retained Austin Reaves, whom McMenamin said Dončić wanted to continue playing alongside.
“He wanted to play with Austin Reaves,” McMenamin said. “He’s back.”
McMenamin added that Sandro Mamukelashvili became another intriguing fit after the Lakers identified his offensive versatility during evaluations in Toronto, giving Los Angeles another skilled frontcourt player capable of complementing Dončić.
Kevon Looney Brings Championship Pedigree to Lakers
McMenamin also highlighted the signing of three-time NBA champion Kevon Looney.
Looney had multiple opportunities in free agency but ultimately viewed Los Angeles as an ideal basketball fit.
“I spoke to someone close to him today who said that he saw it as a clear opportunity,” McMenamin said. “He saw a parallel between some of the half-court sets that they’re going to run, the way he can free up Luka and AR the same way he freed up Klay and Steph with screens.”
Beyond his on-court contributions, Looney brings championship experience and veteran leadership to one of the NBA’s youngest projected rotations.
Lakers Have Gone All-In Around Dončić
The Lakers’ offseason also underscores just how fully the organization has committed to its new franchise centerpiece.
Los Angeles has effectively pushed nearly all of its available assets to the center of the table.
To acquire Kessler, Grimes, Collin Sexton and Mamukelashvili, the Lakers used up almost their entire $52 million cap room and traded every first-round asset they were eligible to move this offseason except their 2032 first-round pick swap—the same asset they have reportedly been reluctant to include in a potential Jonathan Kuminga sign-and-trade with the Atlanta Hawks.
The front office also improved its remaining draft flexibility by trading former No. 1 overall pick and last season’s starting center, Deandre Ayton, to the Washington Wizards for another of Dončić’s former Mavericks teammates, Jaden Hardy, along with two second-round picks.
That deal increased the Lakers’ available second-round draft assets from one to three while adding another young player already familiar with Dončić’s game.
Taken together, the moves illustrate a front office committed to maximizing Dončić’s strengths while keeping enough flexibility to pursue another impact addition if the right opportunity emerges.
Now the Expectations Shift to Luka
McMenamin believes the Lakers have done their part.
Now it is Dončić’s turn.
“He needs to step into a further leadership role with this team,” McMenamin said.
Dončić already embraced that responsibility after arriving in Los Angeles, leading the NBA in scoring before a hamstring injury cut short the Lakers’ postseason run.
Now, the roster around him has been reshaped to fit his strengths: an elite rim-running center in Kessler, familiar backcourt partners in Grimes and Hardy, proven veterans like Looney, versatile frontcourt depth in Mamukelashvili and continuity with Reaves.
If McMenamin’s assessment is accurate, those weren’t simply offseason transactions.
They were moves made with Dončić’s vision in mind.
And after committing nearly every trade asset available to construct this roster, the Lakers have made one thing unmistakably clear: their championship hopes now rest squarely on the team they’ve built around Luka Dončić.
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