With Luka Doncic signing the extension, the next goal for Los Angeles Lakers is to win the NBA Championship.
The 2025-26 NBA season appears to be a great opportunity for the Los Angeles Lakers to make their dreams come true.
After all, they have things like LeBron James, Austin Raves and DeAndre Ayton on the roster around Luka Donsic, who has become the best form of his career.
However, it’s easier than you would say, due to the level of competition in the Western Conference.
Even last season, the Lakers finished the regular season as the third seed in the West, but only lasted five games in the postseason.
Certainly, the Lakers have significantly improved their roster, but NBA expert David Dennis Jr. reminded fans of the presence of the roster that won the Oklahoma City Thunder Championship.
“It’s hard to see that now, and it’s not about the Lakers, mostly the fact that the Oklahoma City Thunder is now in the league and is built to win a championship in the near future.
“The Lakers have a lot to do if they want to find a way to get a championship,” Dennis Jr. said through ESPN’s first take.
He added:
“And you have to find a way to climb the OKC mountain.”
Even if Donsic wanted to reach the NBA Finals as a member of the Lakers, the threat of lightning cannot be overlooked.
Adding to his insights, Dennis Jr. pointed out that the Thunder front office has stars like Shy Gilgauss Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmglen locked in long-term deals.
“They re-signed everyone. The SGA is there, JDUB is there, Chet is there. They are young. They are healthy.
So does that mean the Lakers should give up their title hopes? No. Dennis Jr. has set a blueprint for the success of the iconic franchise over the next three seasons or so.
“So, if you’re the Lakers, you have to keep that in mind. And you need to think about it, it’s not just going to be Luca and LeBron beyond this year, as you don’t know what LeBron’s future is.
“We need to figure out what we can build around Luka Donsic, who will become the MVP caliber for the next few years. What can we build around him to put a real championship competitor in Los Angeles?” he concluded.
Luckily, GM Rob Pelinka has multiple expired contracts that can be used to further strengthen the roster this offseason.