Magic Johnson pinpoints Lakers’ biggest challenge with Luka Doncic-LeBron James duo under JJ Redick

LA Lakers legend Magic Johnson is excited to see Luka Doncic play for his new team. Doncic is one of the most promising players in the NBA, especially on the offensive end. However, Johnson thinks there are problems the team could face with the duo of Doncic and LeBron James.

On X (formerly Twitter), the former Los Angeles star spoke on Monday about one problem that head coach JJ Redick could experience. Since both Doncic and James need the ball in their hands to be effective, Johnson is curious how Redick will handle the usage rate of both superstars. Additionally, the five-time champion pointed out that Austin Reaves also needs the ball at times.

"Usage rate may be a problem for the Lakers because LeBron, Luka, and Austin all love to have the ball in their hands. How will Coach JJ Reddick design an offense that keeps all 3 of them happy?" Magic asked.

The Lakers's defense also suffered after the trade of their top defensive player, Anthony Davis. The three guys in James, Doncic and Reaves aren't committed to trying to play defense, which may be a different issue for the Lakers. While that's a problem for Redick, fans could see a different version of King James.

On Monday, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the Lakers are interested in making the star player a mentor for Doncic. The team wants the Slovenian star to follow the four-time MVP's example, as he's expected to be the next face of the franchise in the post-LeBron James era.

The Lakers have shut down the trade rumors regarding the 6-foot-9 forward. This came after ESPN's Dave McMenamin reported on Monday that the All-Star forward could sign an extension with the team.

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Magic Johnson comically hints at what the Lakers need after trading for Doncic

Since the start of the 2024-25 NBA season, the Lakers have been linked to multiple big men on the trade market. Even Anthony Davis stated he wanted to play with another big man on the floor to return to playing as a power forward. However, the organization never fulfilled his wishes.

Now that the Lakers have Doncic, though, that could change. Los Angeles could rethink how they construct their roster around the five-time All-NBA. Even Magic Johnson knows what his former team needs.

"And with this Luka trade, the Lakers definitely need a big man 😂."

Luka Doncic has played effectively well with an athletic big man on the floor with him. Last season, he maximized having Daniel Gafford and Dereck Lively II as easy lob targets, which made him deadly in the pick-and-roll.