Luka Doncic joined the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster trade, aimed at making the team more competitive in the Western Conference. Despite his arrival and the continued brilliance of LeBron James, the Lakers’ season ended with a disappointing first-round playoff exit against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

On Sunday’s episode of Speak on FS1, analyst Emmanuel Acho highlighted a key issue that may have hindered the pairing of Doncic and James in their title pursuit.

“If you look at how NBA champions have been built over the past few years, especially in the backcourt, they feature players who can defend at a high level,” Acho said.

“If you’re looking at the construction of NBA champions the last several years, if you look at the back court, you got dudes that can play defense.”

Emmanuel Acho says Luka and LeBron’s defense is the Lakers’ downfall 🗣️

(via @TheFacilityFS1)pic.twitter.com/p9OOkpHJrZ

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) July 14, 2025

Most experts agree that James and Doncic form a formidable offensive duo. However, the Lakers’ dreams of capturing their 18th NBA title were hampered by defensive vulnerabilities — primarily Doncic’s defensive limitations and James’ aging body.

Doncic struggled with lateral quickness and defensive consistency, which opponents exploited during the postseason. Meanwhile, James, now 40 years old, can no longer anchor the defense like he did during his prime years.

The Lakers also faced roster challenges. After losing Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in free agency, the team lacked a dominant presence in the paint. They acquired Deandre Ayton from the Portland Trail Blazers, but the overall bench depth and role player contributions were inconsistent throughout the season.

Luka Doncic’s relationship with LeBron James

Despite the on-court struggles, the chemistry between Doncic and James remains positive. According to ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne, Luka Doncic’s agent Lara Beth Seager confirmed that the two superstars have developed strong mutual admiration.

Two important quotes here from Luka Doncic’s manager, Lara Beth Seager:

“The Lakers leadership team has been incredibly welcoming and supportive of Luka since we arrived in L.A. We’ve spent a lot of time talking and getting to know each other over the last few months, and we’ve…

— Ramona Shelburne (@ramonashelburne) July 11, 2025

“Luka loves playing with LeBron and has learned so much from him,” Seager said. “He has nothing but the utmost respect for LeBron and considers it an honor to be his teammate.”

With the Lakers still aiming to contend for another championship, decisions may need to be made regarding the long-term future of this pairing. While Doncic and James share great chemistry, the franchise could be forced to explore changes — possibly even parting ways with one of them, with James considered the more likely to depart given his age.