The Lakers have Luka Doncic and LeBron James—two of the biggest names in the game. But somehow, they still have a glaring issue. The team has struggled for what feels like forever to lock down a dependable center. Crazy, right? With all that star power, you’d think they’d have every position covered. The last person to tell Rob Pelinka this is not on the roster anymore.
So far, Pelinka’s emergency signing of Alex Len doesn’t seem to be working out. They need someone else. The Lakers reportedly have their eyes on Mitchell Robinson as a potential trade target. The Knicks’ center has drawn interest, and LA seems to be considering a move. Thank God the person who said isn’t a Laker nor has anything to do with the NBA other than Michael Jordan stealing his snacks when they were neighbors in the 90s, or him humbling LeBron from time to time.
That’s right, Damon Wayans has a suggestion for the Lakers GM and has also figured out the franchise’s new superstar duo of Bron and Luka’s problem. The comedian, known for his sharp wit and love for basketball, took a few playful jabs at the 4x champ and the perennial MVP candidate along with his advice for Pelinka.
Feb 10, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) takes the ball down court as forward LeBron James (23) looks on against the Utah Jazz at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
During a conversation with Shaquille O’Neal on The Big Podcast with Shaq, Wayans made it clear that he thinks the Lakers still have work to do. “I think they need some more pieces,” he said.
“You know, I, I didn’t think they should have gotten rid of Knecht. I know he’s back. It’s like LeBron is special, you know? It’s like Luka is special. And they need one more special piece to, you know, because neither one of them really like to play defense.” Ouch.
Wayans even tied it to the NFL, bringing up the Philadelphia Eagles’ recent Super Bowl win. “And if you see what happened with the Eagles this week, defense wins championships. That’s in every sport, so you know?” Despite his critiques, Wayans made it clear he’s rooting for the Lakers. “I, yeah, I’m rooting for him. I hope to Luka get in the gym.”
It’s classic Damon—mixing humor with real basketball talk. And as always, when it comes to LeBron, it’s all love. After all, the 4x MVP himself has shown nothing but love for the Wayans family, tweeting “THE GOAT FAMILY OF COMEDY MAN!!!! LOVE THIS SHIT RIGHT HERE!!! to The WAYANS” after winning a major NAACP Image Award.
That kind of respect and admiration doesn’t always exist in the NBA, though—just ask Luka Dončić. Unlike LeBron and the Wayans, Doncic and the Mavericks certainly don’t.
Well, Wayans was concerned, but he’d be pleased to know that Doncic already has some motivation thanks to the Mavs.
Luka Doncic fueled by the Mavs, drops a triple double against them
Luka Doncic had plenty of motivation when he faced the Mavericks for the first time since the shocking trade that sent him to LA. The Mavs questioned his fitness, let rumors swirl about his future, and shipped him off in a move that still has fans fuming. If they thought he’d just take it, they were dead wrong.
Against his former team, Doncic delivered a statement performance, notching his first Lakers triple-double—19 points, 15 rebounds, and 12 assists—in a 107-99 win. The emotions were obvious. He hugged Kyrie Irving and his ex-teammates but ignored Dallas GM Nico Harrison, the man behind the deal. “Closure is going to take a while,” the 5x All-Star admitted postgame.
Lakers fans made their feelings clear, chanting, “Thank you, Nico!” while Doncic was at the line. Meanwhile, Harrison stood courtside, barely acknowledged by the star he traded away. The tension? Thick.
Feb 25, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) dribbles the ball past Dallas Mavericks forward Olivier-Maxence Prosper (8) during the second half at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
LeBron, who took over late, understood the Slovenian’s mindset. “There’s a lot of emotion that goes into it when you give so much to a franchise. … When you move on, or they move on from you, it’s very emotional, obviously. It’s very taxing. … You spend seven years with a team, it’s tough,” he said.
Despite concerns about his conditioning, Doncic is thriving. His vision remains elite, and he’s locked in defensively. The Mavs may have doubted him, but as one source told ESPN, “A beast was awakened inside him.”
And Dallas? They should’ve seen this coming.
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