Derek Fisher Raises Alarm Over LeBron James Void, Gives Blunt Assessment on Luka Doncic’s Lakers

The Los Angeles Lakers are entering a new era. With LeBron James no longer in Los Angeles after his move to the Philadelphia 76ers earlier this summer, the franchise has wasted little time reshaping the roster around Luka Doncic. The priority is clear: build a team that complements its new centerpiece while giving Austin Reaves and the rest of the supporting cast enough firepower to keep the Lakers among the league’s contenders.

For Doncic, this season will mark a significant shift. For the first time, he’ll take the reins as the Lakers’ unquestioned No. 1 option without James sharing the spotlight. The pieces around him are certainly intriguing, with Reaves joined by Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, and a revamped supporting cast. But while the Lakers’ new-look roster has generated plenty of optimism, franchise legend Derek Fisher sees the situation through a different lens- and his assessment of what lies ahead for Los Angeles is worth noting.

"For where (the Lakers) are today, I think guys like Collin Sexton and Quentin Grimes are great additions to their backcourt," Fisher said on 97.1 The Fan LA. "Who's replacing the overall basketball IQ and playmaking of LeBron? How are you going to fill back the productivity from a decision-making perspective, the IQ, etc.?"

There's no denying Doncic is one of the best players in the game right now. He claimed the scoring title last season, putting up an impressive 33.5 points per game. But despite dishing out 8.3 assists per game, plenty of people still feel he doesn't facilitate for his teammates quite as seamlessly as LeBron did.

Then there's the defensive side of things. Many analysts have raised eyebrows at Luka's effort and engagement on that end of the floor. Sure, he posted 1.6 steals per game last season, but numbers only tell part of the story. There are players on the roster who have quietly done more defensive work within a game - they just don't always see it show up in the stat sheet. That's part of what makes Doncic look better on paper than the full picture might suggest.

But in all fairness to Luka, it appears that he's putting in the work to become a better version of himself this coming season. Recent images and videos of him went viral on social media due to his drastic body transformation.

Everyone now calls him 'Skinny' Luka. While we're yet to see what the skinny version of himself can do on the hardwood, it's definitely a good sign.

Luka Doncic's New Teammate Feels Lakers Can Be Great This Season

As mentioned earlier, the Los Angeles Lakers have overhauled the majority of their roster during the summer. The Lakers have added nine new players to their roster, notably bringing in Walker Kessler, Collin Sexton, and Kevon Looney.

Kevon Looney isn't coming to Los Angeles with championship expectations on his shoulders - he's been clear about that. But as one of the few active players with three rings to his name, his read on a team's ceiling carries weight.

Speaking with Mason & Ireland on ESPN LA, Looney made no secret of his belief in what this Lakers group can do. "You have a lot of talent," he said. "You got high-end talent like Luka, and AR. You always have a shot. And we have, I think, great role players and guys that have been around that are gonna prove themselves. I think we got a shot."

His confidence has a specific foundation. Looney spent a decade running pick-and-rolls with Stephen Curry in Golden State- a system that turned him from a fringe rotation piece into a three-time champion. Now he sees the same blueprint with a different architect.

"He's probably the best pick and roll player in the league," Looney said of Doncic. For a veteran center whose entire game is built around setting bruising screens and capitalizing on the gravity of an elite playmaker, landing alongside Luka isn't a consolation prize, it's familiar territory.

Whether that core - surrounded by a newly built supporting cast and anchored in the middle by Walker Kessler - can push deep in a loaded Western Conference is the real task. Looney's enthusiasm is genuine. Whether the roster around him backs it up is still an open question.