Over the summer, there was a lot of talk about whether the Los Angeles Lakers had enough talent to compete with the best of the best in the Western Conference. The superstar duo of Luka Dončić and LeBron James was thought by many to be iconic, but potentially not to lead this team to success during the 2025-26 NBA season.
However, the Austin Reaves element of this team was overlooked, as the consensus seemed to be that he was trade bait and nothing more than a very good role player. That stance has changed after the first 17 games of the season, as he has taken his game to another level while helping the Lakers become a force to be reckoned with in the West.
Lakers’ Trio Among the Best Ever
The Lakers trio of James, Dončić, and Reaves has really started to turn heads around the league and among fans, with the team having one of the best records in the NBA.
In fact, the Lakers have gotten so much attention lately that former NBA star Gilbert Arenas went as far as to say this star trio in Los Angeles might be the best ever, via Gil’s Arena.
“[The Lakers] Big 3 is the best Big 3 in the NBA…ever”@NoChillGilZero is VERY high on the Lakers Big 3 of LeBron James, Austin Reaves and Luka Doncic. pic.twitter.com/X9KOHDJnvv
— Gil’s Arena (@GilsArenaShow) November 26, 2025
It’s a stretch, to say the least, that Arenas went as far as to say this Lakers trio is the best ever. There’s no doubt that this trio in Los Angeles is incredibly talented and is showing some unexpected results this season, but it’s far too early to be talking like this, as these three stars haven’t even played a full season together yet.
Even though it is too early to dub this trio one of the best, let alone the best ever, the Lakers are on a roll right now, winning five straight while also advancing to the next round of the NBA Cup after taking down the crosstown rival Los Angeles Clippers earlier this week.
The Lakers will try to make it six straight wins on Friday, with Anthony Davis and the Dallas Mavericks coming to town. Although Davis has played only five games this season, he’s determined to get back on the floor for this game against his former team, as he’s still got an axe to grind.
However, so does Dončić, who almost certainly has this game circled on his calendar.