Luka Doncic Is the Lakers' New Alpha After LeBron's Exit to Philly
With LeBron gone to the 76ers, Doncic inherits the No. 1 role in L.A. — and our No. 2 overall ranking backs the fantasy ceiling.
A bigger usage share with LeBron gone only raises an already elite ceiling.
- Doncic led NBA in scoring at 33.5 PPG in 2025-26
- 57.5 fantasy pts/game last season — our No. 2 overall
- Reaves signed 4-yr, $180M extension this summer
- LeBron left for Philadelphia in free agency
- Doncic averaged 37.5 PPG over a 15-2 stretch in March
The Lakers belong to Luka Doncic now — fully, with no LeBron James safety net in sight. James signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency, ending eight seasons in Los Angeles and handing Doncic the franchise keys outright. Doncic already carried the statistical load in 2025-26, leading the league at 33.5 points per game and finishing third in assists at 8.3, but he always had the greatest-of-all-time conversation absorbing the blame when things went sideways.
That shield is gone. What's left is our No. 2 overall player (No. 1 at guard) who posted 57.5 fantasy points per game last season on 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 8.3 assists across 64 games. In fantasy terms, that's the entire ballgame — nobody at the position touches that production, and the departure of a 41-year-old who commanded 20.9 points and 7.2 assists of his own only clears more air for Doncic to breathe.
The roster around him got tailored to his wishes, too. Austin Reaves stayed on a four-year, $180 million extension — the richest deal ever for an undrafted player. Walker Kessler arrived as the rim-running big Doncic wanted, at the cost of a barren draft cupboard that leaves L.A. without a clean tradeable first-rounder until 2034. Doncic even footed the bill to fly the whole team to Slovenia for a chemistry-building minicamp.
The Motivation Angle
Doncic spent the last two seasons feeling insulted — the Mavericks trade in February 2025, an MVP ranking that dropped even as he averaged 37.5 points, eight rebounds and 7.4 assists during a 15-2 Lakers surge last March. He said back then that the better he plays, the lower he falls in the ratings, and he clearly took it personally. A motivated Luka playing for a ring and a first MVP is the most dangerous version of him.
The Fantasy Fallout
The one wrinkle worth tracking: Doncic's last five games of 2025-26 came in at -3 fantasy points versus his season average, and Reaves dipped -3.9 over his final five. Neither is alarming given the sample, but it's the kind of thing to note before you lean on late-season form. Reaves, our No. 39 overall on 38.7 fantasy points per game, gets a role bump with LeBron out and is a legitimate upside guard.
Bottom line: Doncic is a locked-in first-round anchor and, if anything, a buy-low target if a rival manager is nervous about the roster overhaul or that soft five-game finish. More usage, a motivated superstar and a supporting cast built to his taste — the ceiling only went up. Draft him at the top, and don't overthink it.
