The Los Angeles Lakers are used to drama in October, but this time it’s not about contract disputes or offseason trades, it’s about survival without their most iconic player.
As LeBron James continues to battle a persistent sciatica issue, the team’s newest face of the franchise, Luka Doncic, is making it clear that Los Angeles won’t sit around waiting for their legend to heal.
“It’s a big change. He’s a great player,” Doncic said when asked about James’ extended absence. “He can help us a lot. But at the end of the day, our mentality needs to be next man up.”
That line may sound routine for an athlete, but in Los Angeles, where expectations rarely dip below championship-or-bust, it carries more weight. Doncic is entering his first full season as a Laker, and while no one can truly replace LeBron, the 26-year-old has already shown he’s ready to shoulder the pressure.
The Lakers‘ season will open without the NBA’s all-time leading scorer for the first time since 2003. James, now 40, has been dealing with nerve pain in his right leg for more than two months, forcing him to miss most of the offseason and the entirety of training camp.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the injury first flared up in late July during an on-court workout, and while there’s optimism he will return this year, there is still no firm timeline.
“This injury for LeBron first occurred in late July, early August,” Charania explained. “It’s now been two and a half months that he’s had to deal with it. Even before media day, he hadn’t done much basketball for over a month. It’s not been a normal offseason for him.”
That uncertainty leaves the Lakers in an unusual position. The roster was constructed with LeBron in mind, his playmaking, his presence, his gravitational pull on both ends of the floor. Without him, Los Angeles must find a new identity quickly, and Doncic seems ready to lead that evolution.
“I don’t view it that way,” Doncic said when asked if he felt extra pressure. “I just want to play basketball. If I do less, if I do more, whatever it takes for me to get a win.”
That mindset may be exactly what the Lakers need. The team has spent the past two seasons looking for consistency, hampered by early injuries, defensive lapses, and an overreliance on its aging stars.
General manager Rob Pelinka used the summer to address those concerns, bringing in former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart and 7-footer Deandre Ayton, while retaining Austin Reaves as a key backcourt partner for Doncic.
The result is a deeper, more balanced Lakers roster, but one still tied to LeBron‘s uncertain availability. The 21-time All-NBA forward has been remarkably durable throughout his career, yet time may finally be catching up.
His most recent postseason run ended with a sprained MCL, the second straight playoffs in which injury limited his impact.
“It’s an admission that he needs more time,” Charania said. “LeBron’s a creature of habit, and this offseason completely threw off his rhythm. The Lakers know he’s not there yet.”
For Doncic, this is both a test and an opportunity. After the blockbuster trade that sent him from Dallas, months removed from an NBA Finals appearance, to Los Angeles, expectations skyrocketed.
He has said openly that he hopes to be remembered as “the guy that brought championships to the city,” a statement that signals ambition but also awareness of what wearing purple and gold truly means.
Leading the Lakers
The pressure is nothing new for him. What’s different now is that Doncic must lead one of basketball’s most scrutinized teams through adversity, balancing the spotlight with the grind of an 82-game season.
“It’s never easy when you lose someone like LeBron,” Doncic admitted. “But we have to stay focused and positive. We have the pieces, and we have the talent. It’s on us now.”
As training camp stories go, the Lakers’ situation feels like a fork in the road, a moment that could either fracture the team or forge its next era.
If Doncic‘s calm, team-first approach is any indication, Los Angeles may not just survive without LeBron. They may finally learn how to win without depending entirely on him.
Because even in the shadow of one of basketball’s greatest players, Luka Doncic‘s voice is starting to sound like the new leader of the Los Angeles Lakers.
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