Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka can finally retool the roster around Luka Dončić after LeBron James decided to leave the team. Following James’ exit, Pelinka traded for former Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler and added free agents Sandro Mamukelashvili, Quentin Grimes, and Collin Sexton.
Pelinka prioritized what Dončić asked in June when the superstar said, via ESPN, that he’d like to play with an “A-list center” and some shooters.
Luka Dončić Should Return to Dallas, NBA Analyst Says, Citing Better Championship Odds
While the Lakers’ head of basketball got the job done, an NBA analyst claimed the Slovenian’s best chance of winning a championship lies elsewhere.
According to CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn, Pelinka filled a much-needed hole but opened a crucial one in trading for Kessler and signing the aforementioned former free agents.
“I think the Lakers went all in on a roster that’s destined to lose to the Thunder and/or Spurs. They just don’t have the capacity to get the wings they’ll need now.
“Luka’s best chance at a title, imo, is returning to Dallas in 2028 and rolling with Cooper Flagg. Pretty easily,” Quinn tweeted.
I think the Lakers went all in on a roster that’s destined to lose to the Thunder and/or Spurs. They just don’t have the capacity to get the wings they’ll need now.
Luka’s best chance at a title, imo, is returning to Dallas in 2028 and rolling with Cooper Flagg. Pretty easily.
— Sam Quinn (@SamQuinnCBS) July 1, 2026
Defense, particularly coming from the wings, is sorely needed in LA. The Lakers just lost Marcus Smart, their best perimeter defender, to the Houston Rockets. Rui Hachimura, a serviceable defender, is also likely out following Pelinka’s recent acquisitions.
In his CBS Sports report on Wednesday, Quinn noted that the past four championship-winning teams, the Denver Nuggets (2023), the Boston Celtics (2024), the Oklahoma City Thunder (2025), and the New York Knicks (2026), all have elite wing defenders. According to him, LA doesn’t have the resources to afford a “big wing” after trading multiple first-round picks for Kessler.
The new additions, Grimes and Sexton, aren’t known for their defense. Mamukelashvili isn’t an elite rim protector.
In effect, the Lakers will be banking on Kessler to clean up their likely potential defensive shortcomings. When the 7-foot-2 center goes to the bench, LA has Deandre Ayton, who has been much maligned for his lack of effort, particularly on defense.
The Lakers must also contend with the San Antonio Spurs and the Oklahoma City Thunder, two championship-contending teams that just got better after the draft and early into free agency.
The Spurs’ trio of Victor Wembanyama, Stephon Castle, and Dylan Harper is a younger, arguably more talented core than LA’s with Dončić, Kessler, and Austin Reaves. San Antonio also has more flexibility to build around its best players.
Dončić’s path to a championship is the road back to Dallas, according to the NBA analyst. Cooper Flagg could be better than any of the Slovenian’s supporting cast starting next season. In 2028, the reigning Rookie of the Year could be in MVP conversations.
More importantly, the Mavericks have the flexibility and the young talent to complement a potential Dončić-Flagg pairing two years down the road.
Quinn’s points are all valid, making the summer of 2028 crucial for the Lakers. Dončić has a $59.2 million player option heading into the 2028-29 season. As the NBA analyst said, a return to Dallas, which the superstar point guard has often said will always be home to him, could be on the table.
