When the Los Angeles Lakers made the blockbuster move to bring Luka Dončić to Hollywood, the expectation was immediate fireworks. A generational talent and one of the most skilled playmakers in the league, Dončić arrives with the reputation of being a ball-dominant maestro who can dismantle defenses with his creativity. But in Los Angeles, the challenge is different. He isn’t tasked with carrying every possession the way he did in Dallas. Instead, he’s learning to adapt and that quiet adjustment might be what elevates the Lakers into true contenders.
According to Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints, citing inside sources, Dončić has spent much of the offseason fine-tuning a part of his game that has rarely been his focus: catch-and-shoot scoring. For a player whose career has thrived on having the ball in his hands, this represents a subtle yet monumental shift in playstyle.
“He has also been in touch with coaches (Greg St. Jean is with him for EuroBasket, as an example) consistently this offseason to understand how they envision him impacting the game when LeBron James or Austin Reaves has the ball,” Irwin reported.
That insight hints at the bigger picture. Dončić doesn’t need to dominate the rock every trip down the floor for the Lakers to succeed. In fact, with LeBron James still orchestrating at an elite level and Austin Reaves developing into one of the league’s most underrated playmakers, Dončić’s willingness to move off the ball could unlock the kind of dynamic offensive flow that makes Los Angeles nearly impossible to defend.
A Western Conference scout put it best when speaking to Irwin:
“Defenses should be nervous about him every second he’s on the court. If they aren’t, that’s on him. He’s way too good to just stand in the corner when the ball isn’t in his hands.”
The numbers from last season back up why this adjustment is so crucial. Dončić thrived on his trademark step-backs and pull-up jumpers, but they dominated his shot selection. NBA tracking data shows that 58% of his attempts came from pull-ups, while only 12.7% were catch-and-shoot opportunities. That imbalance was largely the product of his Dallas role, where nearly every possession began and ended with Luka.
In Los Angeles, however, the landscape is different. LeBron is still one of the best facilitators in basketball, capable of finding shooters in their sweet spots, and Reaves excels when creating for others. For Dončić to truly maximize his impact alongside them, becoming a consistent threat without the ball is the next evolution of his game.
If this transition takes hold, it could spell doom for opposing defenses. Imagine LeBron driving to the rim, Reaves slashing into space, and Dončić spotting up, ready to punish defenders who dare to sag off. That’s the type of three-headed offensive monster that could tilt the Western Conference balance of power in the Lakers’ favor.
Luka Dončić will always be a superstar most comfortable with the ball in his hands. But in Los Angeles, his quiet commitment to adapting learning to thrive off the ball could be what helps him, LeBron, and Reaves reach their fullest potential together.