The Lakers are entering unfamiliar territory as they prepare for a new season without LeBron James, but Derek Fisher expects Luka Doncic to keep Los Angeles competitive.
James ended his eight-year run with the franchise this summer, leaving Doncic as the central figure of a roster that underwent several changes.
Fisher sees enough talent around the Slovenian star to believe the Lakers can remain firmly in the playoff picture.
“You think about the few organizations where LeBron has been, you tell me where their record has gotten dramatically better after he left. So it’s not going to fall off that much because Luka is there,” Fisher said on 97.1 The Fan LA.
One reason for Fisher’s confidence is the combination of Doncic and Austin Reaves, along with the defensive impact Walker Kessler can provide.
“I think Luka and Austin Reaves are basically an All-Star backcourt that you can roll out every night, and then Walker Kessler is a young developing almost All-Star-ish type of big in terms of his elite defense and rebounding. So I think you have a chance…45 to 50 wins, a lot of things are going to have to go right, but it feels fair to me.”
Los Angeles made Kessler a major part of its new direction by signing the center to a four-year, $130 million contract as Rob Pelinka reworked the supporting cast.
Attention will now shift heavily toward Doncic. Instead of sharing responsibility with James, he will be expected to set the tone and determine how far this version of the Lakers can go.
