Earlier this year, the NBA world was stunned when Luka Doncic was traded to the Lakers – a generational talent blown off in the blink of an eye. Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison claimed it was to improve the team’s defense with Anthony Edwards’ addition. Still, L.A. fans were hopeful that Luka’s arrival meant a real shot at a title. But things spiraled fast, that too, just in the first round of the playoffs! In Game 5, the team unraveled, and their playoff hopes vanished. After that collapse, critics pounced, some pointing fingers directly at Luka. Was he really the problem, or was it something deeper?
After the loss, head coach JJ Redick stirred controversy. “We have to get in championship shape,” he said after their exit. It wasn’t hard for fans to connect the dots. Redick admitted some players were in phenomenal shape, but others weren’t. Many saw that as a thinly veiled jab at Luka. It echoed the same doubts from his Dallas days: was his fitness still an issue? With him having an average score of 28.2 this season, was it he who pulled the team down? Or was Luka being unfairly singled out for a team-wide failure?
Recently, KG and Pierce sat down again to talk playoffs, and naturally, Luka’s name came up. KG didn’t hold back. He jokingly mimicked Luka saying, “Hey man, I’m killing everybody in the NBA, smoking hookah and drinking a beer after the game every night… You want me to do a quadruple-double, my friend? What the f**k?” They laughed, but the point stuck.
Garnett made it clear: Luka is who he is, and he’s effective. In his words, “Luka came into the league, he doesn’t play fast or slow. He has a great speed to him. It works. He knows what he’s doing.” He even compared him to Denver’s star, saying both dominate without flashy muscles or speed. “He’s probably one of the more—probably top five guard in the league,” KG said confidently.
Apr 9, 2025; Dallas, Texas, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) reacts while watching a tribute video before the game against the Dallas Mavericks at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
Then came the deeper question: where do the Lakers go from here? Paul Pierce doesn’t see any way for the Lakers to improve in the short term. They also rejected the idea of LeBron potentially opting out of the current contract, signing for less money, in order to get another big name to the team. This led Garnett to point out that the team is at a crossroads right now.
“The Lakers got to make a choice. Like, do you stay with Bron and keep going with this? Or are we over the LeBron era and now it’s Luka? We dial into what Luka needs,” He stated. The direction isn’t clear yet. Pierce added, “He got to have that big man for a pick and roll,” stressing that Luka needs the right pieces around him to thrive.
Michael Wilbon says J.J. Reddick deserves heat for coaching mistakes against the Timberwolves
About eight days ago, the Lakers’ season came to a sudden stop, crashing out in just five games. Many blamed the roster, others blamed Luka. But veteran analyst Michael Wilbon had someone else in mind: JJ Reddick. Speaking on The Jim Jackson Podcast, Wilbon didn’t hold back. “He certainly has be responsible for some of those decisions. He made a calculated gamble about leaving those guys in the game,” he said, pointing out that Reddick’s playoff decisions exposed his inexperience. Was this just rookie nerves, or was Reddick truly outcoached by Minnesota?
Wilbon focused on two major blunders: playing the entire starting five for a full second half in Game Four, and refusing to use Jackson Hayes. That choice proved costly. “You can’t let Rudy go with 27 and 24, both personal playoff bests, and have no resistance,” Wilbon said, clearly frustrated. Those weren’t just big numbers, they were Rudy Gobert’s career playoff highs. While JJ’s regular-season success impressed, his playoff strategy left fans and experts second-guessing everything. And this wasn’t the first time questions about Reddick’s readiness had surfaced.
When he was hired, skeptics pointed to his only coaching experience: leading a fourth-grade boys team. Despite that, Reddick helped the Lakers finish third in the West and had people mentioning him in Coach of the Year talks. But when it mattered most, his decisions, especially on defense, raised eyebrows. Keeping Hayes on the bench while Rudy dominated? That one’s hard to justify.
Rudy Gobert’s Game Five performance wasn’t just dominant, it was historic. The three-time All-Star dropped 27 points and grabbed 24 boards, silencing years of criticism. For someone often called overrated, that game was a statement. Reddick had no answer, and the Lakers had no chance. While the Wolves moved on, the Lakers were stuck in a postseason autopsy, and JJ’s choices were front and center.
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