NBA analyst Nick Wright is sounding the alarm on the Los Angeles Lakers' retooled roster built around Luka Dončić. After LeBron James left the franchise following eight seasons, the Lakers had roughly $52 million in cap space. They used it to re-sign Austin Reaves and acquire center Walker Kessler, then filled out the rest with role players like Collin Sexton, Jaden Hardy, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Kevon Looney.
What is Nick Wright's main concern?
Wright, speaking on FS1's "First Things First" on Thursday, said he doesn't see the Lakers' moves as building a team for Dončić long-term. "I don't look at it as they are building a team for Luka. I look at it as they just built their team for Luka, and that's what it's gonna be," Wright said. He pointed out the Lakers now have no cap space or draft picks left for future transactions.
How does the roster compare to Dončić's past teams?
The roster construction mirrors the 2023-24 Dallas Mavericks, which also had Dončić at the helm. That team got demolished in five games by the Boston Celtics in the 2024 NBA Finals. The Western Conference has only gotten tougher since then, with the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder emerging as juggernauts.
Can the Lakers still contend?
Wright admitted an MVP-caliber season from Dončić could keep the Lakers near the top of the West. But he's not convinced they can overtake the top two teams. "This team, I understand it doesn't have to be good enough this year 'cause they can get better. But the way they will get better is little, tiny things around the edges, and players improving," Wright said. "It's not, 'We have another big move coming.' And that concerns me."
The Lakers have parted ways with virtually all their draft capital. Their flexibility is essentially gone. While the roster might keep them competitive every night, they don't stand out as the cream of the crop in the NBA. That could set Dončić and the Lakers up for disappointment.