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Luka Doncic could have an even clearer path to another NBA scoring crown now that LeBron James is no longer sharing the Lakers’ offense with him.
Doncic Gets the Lakers Offense to Himself
LeBron James’ move to Philadelphia could have a major knock-on effect in Los Angeles, with ESPN’s Brian Windhorst tipping Luka Doncic to return to the high-volume scoring role he enjoyed with the Dallas Mavericks.
Speaking with Tim MacMahon on the Hoop Collective, Windhorst suggested James’ departure should give Doncic greater control of the Lakers’ offense during the 2026-27 season.
That is hardly unfamiliar territory for Doncic. Before arriving in Los Angeles, he routinely carried an enormous offensive workload in Dallas, including his 73-point explosion against the Atlanta Hawks.
Now, with James out of the picture, there are fewer questions about who gets the ball when the Lakers need a bucket.
Windhorst Sees Another Scoring Crown
Doncic enters the new campaign having led the NBA in scoring in two of the past three seasons.
He averaged 33.9 points per game for Dallas in 2023-24 before posting 33.5 points per game with the Lakers last season, finishing ahead of fellow elite scorers Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Anthony Edwards.
Windhorst and MacMahon believe Doncic has another advantage over some of his rivals: his ability to turn big scoring nights into truly enormous ones.
Gilgeous-Alexander may churn out 30-point performances with machine-like regularity, but Doncic has repeatedly shown he can push well beyond 40 or 50 when the offense runs almost entirely through him.
For anyone watching NBA scoring-title futures, that combination of volume and ceiling makes Doncic difficult to ignore.
A Leaner Luka Could Be Bad News for Defenders
Doncic has also arrived at the new season looking noticeably leaner after working on his conditioning during the offseason.
MacMahon believes the change could make him an even tougher assignment, particularly if Doncic retains the strength that has always allowed him to bully smaller defenders and create space around the basket.
His physical style has sometimes been overshadowed by the step-back threes and outrageous passing angles, but strength remains a large part of what makes him so difficult to guard.
Better conditioning could also help him maintain his scoring output deeper into games and across the grind of an NBA season.
Lakers Put Doncic Firmly in Charge
The biggest change may simply be opportunity.
James and Doncic were both players who wanted the ball and could dictate an entire possession. With James now in Philadelphia, Los Angeles can build more of its offense around Doncic, with Austin Reaves serving as another key option.
Windhorst compared the situation to Russell Westbrook taking on a much larger offensive role after Kevin Durant left Oklahoma City in 2016. Westbrook responded with a monster individual season.
Doncic does not need to prove he can score with the NBA’s best. He already has the trophies and numbers.
The question for 2026-27 is what happens when one of basketball’s most dangerous scorers gets even more permission to shoot. For scoring-title bettors, that is a fairly tempting proposition.
