The Los Angeles Lakers are experimenting with their rotation to turn their recent struggles into a comeback, but here's where it gets controversial... Head coach JJ Redick has revealed plans to keep Luka Doncic in a specific rotational role, a move that could reshape how the team functions on the floor. Leading into Sunday night’s game against the Sacramento Kings, Redick hinted that adjustments might be necessary after suffering three consecutive losses. Notably, star guard Austin Reaves will be sidelined for at least the next four weeks due to a calf injury, which means these upcoming changes are even more crucial (for more details, see Lakers Nation’s injury update). Among the adjustments, Luka Doncic’s playing time and role appear to be centers of focus.
Typically, Doncic logs full first-quarter minutes before resting at the beginning of the second quarter. However, in the game against Sacramento, he was substituted out at 2:31 remaining in the first quarter by Nick Smith Jr. and didn’t re-enter until 9:12 into the second. This break gave room for a different lineup featuring Smith, Maxi Kleber, Jake LaRavia, Jarred Vanderbilt, and LeBron James—an arrangement that outperformed the Kings 21-14 during that stretch. Redick expressed satisfaction with what this group accomplished and explained the thought process behind this strategic shift.
"With Reaves out, this approach allows certain players to serve as the primary ball-handler without Luka or LeBron on the court simultaneously," Redick elaborated. "We ran multiple plays designed for them to operate together, emphasizing their two-man actions. The goal isn’t to keep Luka and LeBron apart, but rather to adapt based on the game’s flow. We plan to continue experimenting with this setup moving forward and see how it unfolds. Overall, I thought it was effective tonight. While LeBron’s stint was longer and Luka’s shorter, it won’t significantly cut into either of their playing times overall."
Additionally, Redick highlighted the importance of Luka Doncic and LeBron James strengthening their on-court chemistry—especially during Reaves’ absence—and believes the new rotation could facilitate this development.
"For us to truly thrive, the chemistry between Luka and LeBron—and with other teammates—is vital," he said. "There has been notable progress this season. I wasn’t surprised by how well Luka and LeBron played together in this game because we had one of our best practices yesterday, focusing on their shared ball movement and two-player actions. The chemistry from practice carried over into the game, which was really promising."
With a win over the Kings, the Lakers are positioned to capitalize on their upcoming schedule, featuring eight games against teams with losing records in the next ten matchups. This provides an excellent chance to fine-tune team chemistry and assess what strategies work best against teams that aren’t at the top of the league.
As for Luka Doncic’s performance, despite not shooting the ball with high efficiency, he made a significant impact across the stat sheet in Los Angeles’ victory. Doncic finished with 34 points on 11-of-23 shooting, alongside five rebounds, seven assists, and three steals. LeBron James complemented that effort with an impressive 24 points on an almost perfect 11-of-13 shooting.
Are you convinced that these rotation experiments will lead the Lakers to a stronger playoff push, or do you believe they risk disrupting team chemistry? Share your thoughts in the comments below—this plan could be a game-changer or a costly mistake!
