As frustration mounts surrounding Luka Dončić’s shot selection and complaints to officials, longtime Los Angeles Lakers fan Gilbert Arenas weighed in on the state of the team.
The three-time All-Star also contemplated how he would feel if he were a complementary star next to Dončić, drawing contrast to the Golden State Warriors’ late-2010s dynasty.
Gilbert Arenas Pushes Back on Luka Dončić’s Stagnant Offensive Style
Dončić’s tendencies to hold onto the ball too long and shoot high-difficulty shots have long been points of criticism for the 2024 NBA scoring champion. However, his 8-for-24 shooting performance (33.3%) in Tuesday’s 110-109 home loss to the Orlando Magic exacerbated frustrations.
The six-time All-Star didn’t shy away from hoisting up long-range shots all night until the game’s final play, going 2-for-10 from beyond the arc (20%). Dončić then questionably decided to pass up an open look to win the contest, acknowledging postgame that his shooting struggles influenced his thought process.
Speaking on Wednesday’s edition of “Gil’s Arena,” Arenas and Co. urged the superstar guard to improve his offensive discipline and make winning plays.
Arenas’ co-host, former All-Star forward Kenyon Martin, noted that it can be “demoralizing at times” when a player wants to “compete” and “win,” but their team’s star player is shooting “bulls**t shots.” Martin added that it “does something to guys to not feel involved offensively.”
The discourse prompted Arenas to step into the shoes of a modern-day secondary star. The 44-year-old claimed that he would opt for a supporting role on a star-studded superteam with elite ball movement over playing second fiddle to Dončić.
“I would rather be the fourth option with the 2017-18 Golden State Warriors. I would rather play with Steph [Curry], [Kevin Durant], and Klay [Thompson] than play second option to some of these guys because of how slow they play,” Arenas said.
“If you’re passing and taking shots — Klay scored 60 [points] with 11 dribbles. You know how many possessions he is putting in the game?”
Conversely, Arenas quipped that Dončić often looks like he is “walking” the ball up the floor, with Martin calling for the Lakers standout to get more involved in screen actions and off-ball movement.
“Put him in situations, back screens, down screens, make a defense make decisions … make his a** be active,” Martin said, adding that LA can’t continue to “run the same s**t game in, game out.”
The Lakers (34-23, sixth in the Western Conference) have just 25 games remaining to sort out their offensive predictability and improve upon their 24th-ranked defensive rating (116.6).
If Dončić aims for a more team-friendly offensive approach and puts forth a more respectable defensive effort on a nightly basis, it could go a long way toward fixing both problems.
