Lakers provide midseason evaluation one year following Luka Doncic trade
NEW YORK — Marking the one-year anniversary of executing one of the most surprising trades in NBA history to obtain Luka Doncic, the Los Angeles Lakers found themselves in the same venue as when the transaction was finalized, visiting Madison Square Garden to face the New York Knicks.
With a year passed for the situation to stabilize and Doncic to establish his presence in L.A. after spending the initial 5½ seasons of his career with the Dallas Mavericks, February 1 served as a fitting moment to consider: How much closer are the Lakers to a championship now compared to that time?
“I think we’re in a good spot,” Doncic remarked after recording 30 points, 15 rebounds, and 8 assists in Sunday’s 112-100 defeat to the Knicks. “Obviously, we have some work to do. … Today we clearly missed several good opportunities, but I believe we have a strong group.”
LeBron James, who was announced Sunday as an All-Star reserve — joining Doncic, who was selected as a Western Conference starter earlier this month — expressed some of his teammate’s optimism, stating, “I like this group.”
However, he also recognized the uncertainties.
“We’ve experienced some really positive moments. We have had some less favorable moments. We want to keep building on that,” James noted. “It’s been challenging all season in terms of managing injuries. Players have been in and out. Unfortunately, our All-Star 2 guard has been sidelined for a while, and that’s a significant part of our team. So, it’s somewhat difficult to gauge what we can truly become.”
The third Lakers All-Star James mentioned is Austin Reaves, who was not selected as a reserve by the Western Conference coaches despite averaging a career-high 26.6 points per game.
The game against the Knicks marked his 19th consecutive game missed due to a strained left calf. Reaves was considered a game-time decision against New York but was downgraded to out shortly before the game, according to Lakers coach JJ Redick.
“He’s day-to-day, game-to-game, however you want to phrase it,” Redick stated. “We hope to have him for Tuesday [against the Brooklyn Nets], but he needs to feel 100% confident.”
Reaves, James, and Doncic have played together on the court in only eight of the Lakers’ 48 games this season.
Despite the ongoing injuries affecting the trio, L.A. currently holds a record of 29-19 following the loss to the Knicks. Last season, they defeated the Knicks 128-112 on February 1 to improve to 28-19.
When Doncic joined L.A. alongside Maxi Kleber, in exchange for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a future first-round pick, he was also recovering from a left calf strain, coincidentally. His injury led to him missing 22 consecutive games.
“It’s definitely tough with a calf,” Doncic said when discussing Reaves. “I’ve experienced that. It’s not an easy injury. So, we just want him to be healthy. If he’s not ready to return, he shouldn’t rush back. But of course, we would love to have him on the court. We eagerly await his comeback.”
Meanwhile, the Lakers’ locker room will anticipate whether Thursday’s trade deadline will pass without any significant roster changes like last season.
“We’re right there in the playoff race in the West,” Redick commented. “And, I believe our players have been exceptional all season. They’ve done a commendable job of responding to the challenges that a season presents. … I think whether you’re a GM, a coach, or a player, you will never look at a roster and say, ‘This is a perfect roster, and all the pieces fit seamlessly together.’ It just doesn’t happen very often.
“The players have done an excellent job over the past month or so of striving to play for one another and to play quality basketball together.”
