The Los Angeles Lakers preseason is nearing its end, and the regular season is only a week away. Basketball fans are gearing up for an exciting year with some new talent and roster moves. For the Lakers and Luka Doncic, this may be the year they make the NBA Finals, and Doncic may even win MVP.
Support Local and Independent Sports Writing – Subscribe To the LAFB Network Today!
Lakers Embark on New Era With Luka Doncic
Gotta have the Latest from LA + LUKA Mind-meld
Luka Doncic is inarguably one of the best players in the NBA and the tandem of him and LeBron James may be an unstoppable duo. Doncic has gotten a lot of negativity due to the shape he was in during previous seasons with the Dallas Mavericks, but once he became a Laker, things changed, and so did he. He got in better shape and was relatively healthy, playing in 50 games in his first stint with the Lakers, and his impact on the floor was prevalent.
With LeBron James out of commission for a few weeks due to a back injury, Doncic has a chance to take over and be the primary ball handler for the team. Doncic is a powerful forward with great footwork and scoring ability. He recently attended the NBA Finals in the 2023-2024 campaign in Dallas and the following year in LA he averaged 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 7.7 assists per game. But even with all that, Doncic isn’t the frontrunner for the MVP by some sports betting metrics.
Currently, FanDuel Sportsbook has Luka Doncic at +400 and in third place for the odds to win the 2025-26 NBA MVP behind two gamechangers and superstars.
Who is Ahead of Luka Doncic in MVP Odds?
FandDuel Sportsbook has Oklahoma City-Thunder guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander as the betting favorite to win the MVP at +160, and Denver Nuggets Center Nikola Jokic is in 2nd place at +300. Gilgeous-Alexander is the reigning MVP, and rightfully so. He was the driving force on a Thunder team that ranked first in defense with a rating of 107.5, and he helped drive the Indiana Pacers to seven games, ultimately winning the NBA Finals. Gilgeous-Alexander averaged 32.7 per game and was 51.9% from the field and 37.5% from three.
Nuggets’ Nikola Jokic had a very productive 2024-25 season, averaging 29.6 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists per game, obtaining a triple-double and being named 1st Team All-NBA, and ended the year 2nd in MVP voting behind Gilgeous-Alexander. Jokic is good at driving to the basket and scoring in the paint, but also kicking the ball to talented shooters and setting them up for assist-worthy plays.
One thing that Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander have in common that Doncic does not is that they are former NBA MVPs; Jokic is even a multi-time MVP. Is this the year that Doncic wins the NBA MVP even though the sports books may say otherwise? The Los Angeles Lakers play the Golden State Warriors in the opening game of the 2025-26 NBA season on October 21st, 2025.
For more sports content, follow me on X (Twitter) and Instagram @BJT_ERA
