The Los Angeles Lakers saw their championship hopes come crashing down after the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder swept them in the Western Conference semifinals.
While the Lakers battled through a dramatic 2025-26 campaign, the postseason quickly spiraled once Luka Dončić remained sidelined with a Grade 2 left hamstring strain suffered on April 2.
The Slovenian ultimately missed the entire playoffs, and many around the league viewed his absence as the biggest reason behind JJ Redick’s squad falling short in Round 2.
Nick Wright Questions the Lakers’ Long-Term Outlook Around Luka Dončić
Now, with LeBron James approaching free agency and uncertainty growing around the franchise, popular sportscaster Nick Wright has raised concerns regarding Dončić’s future in Los Angeles.
Speaking after the Lakers’ elimination, Wright openly criticized the organization’s direction despite landing one of the league’s biggest stars.
“I think the Lakers blew it,” Wright said. “I think when Luka’s Lakers tenure is over, there is a greater than 50% chance that the best teammate he ever had was age 40/41 LeBron James.”
Wright then turned his attention toward James’ uncertain future with the franchise.
“Maybe he stays in L.A. I hope he doesn’t,” Wright continued. “I don’t think that team has been well run but also because I want to see the version of LeBron we got to see in the playoffs. 3rd option swiss army knife LeBron, he’s too good for that role.”
James once again defied Father Time during his 23rd NBA season. He secured his record-extending 22nd All-Star appearance and helped the Lakers finish 53-29 to lock up a top-four seed in the Western Conference.
However, with Dončić sidelined throughout the postseason, James was forced back into a primary offensive role.
Despite the added workload, the 41-year-old guided LA into the second round before the Thunder overwhelmed the injury-hit Lakers on both ends of the floor.
Dončić’s absence became one of the defining stories of the playoffs. The All-Star was coming off an MVP-caliber regular season in which he led the NBA in scoring at 33.5 points per game.
Acquired from the Dallas Mavericks at the 2025 trade deadline, he was expected to maximize the remainder of James’ championship window.
Instead, optimism surrounding a potential Round 2 comeback slowly disappeared as Dončić continued to be ruled out game after game. Following the Lakers’ elimination, he admitted the speculation around his comeback never matched reality.
“It’s very frustrating,” Dončić said. “I know some people wanted me back, but obviously, I wasn’t close to clearing.”
Meanwhile, James’ future remains one of the biggest storylines of the offseason. The veteran exercised his $52.63 million player option this season, but the Lakers have not offered him an extension.
