Fifteen games into the 2025-26 NBA season, the Los Angeles Lakers have shocked fans and done something unthinkable: they’ve thrived with LeBron James playing just one game so far.

LeBron James specifically requested that Luka Doncic be announced last alongside the Lakers’ starters during their Tuesday game.

LeBron James certainly didn’t look like he had been away from an NBA court for nearly seven months when he began his unprecedented 23rd season, even if his burning lungs told him otherwise

Since the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Luka Doncic, there has been a clear shift in the organization, prioritizing his timeline over that of LeBron James.