The Lakers find themselves caught between two superstars and two different timelines. Charles Barkley just delivered a reality check that cuts straight to the heart of Los Angeles’s most significant challenge: figuring out how to transition from the LeBron James era to the Luka Dončić era while both players are still on the roster.
Why Does Charles Barkley Think the Lakers Need to Hand the Keys Over to Luka Dončić?
Former NBA star Charles Barkley spoke on the current dynamic between LeBron James, Luka Dončić, and the Los Angeles Lakers. After making a stunning trade in 2024-25, the Lakers moved Anthony Davis to acquire a generational talent and certified superstar in Dončić.
By doing so, they set themselves up to continue contending for a title well after James retires and moves on from the NBA. However, James and Dončić are in the same lineup, forcing the Lakers to face a crossroads between their past and future.
As soon as fans heard that the Lakers traded away Davis and got Dončić, questions regarding how Dončić would fit alongside James emerged. After all, the two stars are ball-dominant players with a high basketball IQ. It would be difficult to have them on the court at the same time with a meaningful impact.
The Lakers’ first-round elimination at the hands of Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves emphasized that point. As the Lakers headed into a long offseason, questions regarding James’ future with the team and their inevitable transition to making Dončić the new franchise cornerstone emerged.
Barkley recently addressed this issue and outlined the greatest challenges for all involved. Having played for three NBA teams throughout his career and alongside a number of accomplished stars, the current analyst has seen it all.
During a recent interview with Yahoo Sports, the former NBA star discussed the changes the Lakers need to make to prepare for the upcoming season.
The Lakers are now ‘Luka’s team moving forward’ @jasonfitz and Charles Barkley discuss how L.A. should handle the transition of one generational superstar to another. pic.twitter.com/IW3rqmnD1m
— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) July 12, 2025
“LeBron’s such a great player, he can play without the ball. Luka needs to have the ball to be successful… Well, he’s on the downside of his career. It’s Luka’s team going forward,” he explained.
“But hey, they’ve got bigger problems than those guys. They’ve got to worry about the Oklahoma City Thunder, the Houston Rockets, and the Denver Nuggets. The Lakers are going to have a good team, but everything in the West starts with OKC, the Houston Rockets, and the Denver Nuggets…”
What Bigger Problems Do the Lakers Face Beyond This Transition?
Barkley makes a valid point. While the transition from James to Dončić appears to be a pressing concern, the two of them and the rest of the Lakers squad have greater challenges that need to be faced immediately.
After the OKC Thunder won the NBA Finals and the Rockets made a trade for Kevin Durant, the two franchises are expected to dominate the West in 2025-26. The Denver Nuggets, who were the only team in the West to force the Thunder to a Game 7 in their postseason matchup, are also expected to dominate the West in 2025-26.
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Whether the Lakers are still James’ team or have now become Dončić’s team does not really matter to the fanbase if the team suffers another early postseason exit.
Since James is in the final stages of his career, the focus and priority will inevitably shift towards Dončić and his needs. The upcoming 2025-26 season will reveal more about what this duo can accomplish in their limited time together.
