After a surprisingly strong offseason for the Los Angeles Lakers, fans are no doubt eager for next season to start. Fortunately for them, they have EuroBasket to watch.
Specifically Luka Dončić, who has been balling out for his home country. Him putting up big offensive numbers is almost a given at this point, but Doncic recently showed off much-improved defense.
Luka with back to back blocks 😤
— LakeShow Highlights (@LSH_lakeshow) August 28, 2025
Doncic playing solid defense so far pic.twitter.com/xWJIhB1HrS
Doncic's defense has been widely criticized at times, especially during the 2024 NBA Finals. That display eventually led Dallas Mavericks GM Niko Harrison to trade him to the Lakers.
His loss, and the Lakers' gain. Particularly with Doncic having slimmed down. Him dropping weight this summer has apparently given him more energy to expend on defense, with a recent EuroBasket showing making waves online.
An engaged Luka Doncic on defense is a game-changer for the Lakers
The Lakers have made several moves this offseason to bolster their defense, adding Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia, and Marcus Smart. Each of them could help the Lakers next season, but an engaged Doncic could also be impactful on that end.
Him being more than a turnstile on defense and being active means that teams can't attack him. The old adage "you're only as strong as your weakest link" rings true for team defense.
If Doncic were at least active on defense for the Lakers, it would raise their floor, which is probably in the 20s on that end, and increase their ceiling. They probably don't have enough personnel to be a top-five defense, but top-10 is the best-case scenario and more realistic if Doncic buys in.
A Doncic-led Los Angeles Lakers are sleeping giants in the West
Doncic may not be the best player in the NBA, but he has the talent to be the best player in the NBA. Him being in the best playing shape of his career gives Lakers fans hope that he can finally put it all together and go from being a borderline MVP candidate to being a shoo-in for the award.
It's clear this is no longer LeBron James' team and will only go as far as Doncic takes them. During his last full season, back in 2023-24, he posted an outrageous 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 9.8 assists, giving Lakers fans a baseline for a peak Doncic season.
Anything close to that or better could be enough to deliver him an MVP and thrust L.A. into title contention. Especially if he is close to average on defense.
Ultimately, Doncic showing off his defense in EuroBasket proves that he has untapped potential at that end of the floor. His weight loss should give him more energy to use on defense while hopefully also translating into a career year on the Lakers next season.