Opening night for the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 2025-2026 season is October 21st, and fans will have a lot to look forward to as the team has new people in charge. Luka Doncic is that person. The Lakers will face Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors in the first game of the season, and LA will be without its future Hall of Famer, LeBron James.
Why isn’t LeBron James playing?
It was reported on October 9th by the Lakers that LeBron James would be out 3-4 weeks due to a back injury and would miss the start of the year. ESPN’s Shams Charania also stated during the preseason that James would be reevaluated on October 30th and could potentially make his start in November. With James out for some time, new leaders will need to step up.
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Luka Doncic is the New Leader of the LA Lakers
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Luka Doncic was acquired by the Lakers via trade from the Dallas Mavericks back in February 2025. The deal sent shockwaves throughout the NBA, and many people were surprised. When Doncic got to LA, he seemed very sad and distraught, but as time went on, he began to settle into the team and culture.
Doncic was brought in to be the 2nd option to LeBron James, but some speculate that it was to be the #1. James is in his 23rd season, is 40 years old, and his illustrious career is winding down. James has been the leader for his entire tenure with the Lakers, but now they’ll get a glimpse of what things are like without him on the floor.
It’s Luka’s turn at the helm, and a big question is whether he is going to be able to carry the weight of the team, especially from an offensive standpoint, and be the floor general. Doncic is one of the best players in the NBA and is tough for even the league’s top defenders to deal with. It’s his opportunity to show that he can be the face of the franchise, not only this year, but for years to come.
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