LeBron James is gone, which means all eyes are laser-focused on Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic to take the reins and absolutely spearhead the Los Angeles Lakers’ offense. Yeah, they both have the skills to do it, but honestly, a lot of people were still on the fence, hesitant to get hyped about what this Lakers squad could do without King James. But guess what? After preseason games and training camp, it’s clear as day: the Lakers are clicking on offense, and it’s 100% because Reaves and Doncic are making a massive difference as the primary options and playmakers.
The Numbers Talk: A Duo Built Different
You wanna know why everyone’s starting to turn their heads? Look at the receipts from the 2025-26 season. Both Reaves and Doncic were just absurd individually. Austin Reaves was putting up 23.3 points, grabbing 4.7 boards, and dishing out 5.5 assists every single game. Luka Doncic? Dude was a flat-out machine, posting 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists a night. Those aren’t just good numbers, they’re elite. They prove these guys are legit, impressive players for the Lakers. And here’s the kicker: it could get even better this season because now they only have to share the rock as a duo, not a trio with LeBron.
Sandro Mamukelashvili Spills the Beans on Their Dynamic
One of the guys right in the thick of it, a core role player for the Lakers, Sandro Mamukelashvili, is raving about what he’s seeing. It sounds like he’s gonna be playing a ton with this backcourt, and he’s hyped about the open space and the passes coming his way. Sandro broke it down, talking about playing with Luka: “It’s plenty of them. I think there will be even more. When Luka has the ball, you see everybody’s on their toes defensively, but he’s such a good ball-handler. He controls the game; he’s got his own pace. All you have to do is just stay there, and he’s going to find you.” And it’s not just Luka. Mamukelashvili gave Austin props too: “Same goes with Austin. Everybody has been moving the ball amazingly. We’ve been doing extra passes; we drive and kick; nobody tries to hold it for too long.” When your teammates are that unselfish and skilled, setting the table like that, it’s easy to see why players like Sandro are gonna enjoy playing for the Lakers. All they gotta do is knock down their shots.
With this kind of playmaking and team-first mentality emerging from Reaves and Doncic, the Lakers’ offense looks ready to silence the doubters early in the season. These two are stepping up, creating for themselves and others, and that’s exactly what the Lakers need to kick things off right.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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