West Notes: Lakers, Luka Doncic, Timberwolves, Anthony Edwards, Pelicans

Could the Lakers possibly be underusing their LeBron James and Luka Doncic dynamic duo?

Well, according to ESPN’s Zach Kram, LA may have indeed stumbled onto a nearly unstoppable play last year — but hardly used it. James and Doncic combined for just 4.4 pick-and-rolls per 100 possessions in the regular season, a tiny number compared to past duos like James and Kyrie Irving (15.1) or James and Austin Reaves (11.3).

The good news: that number more than doubled in the playoffs to 9.2, nearly all with James screening for Doncic, and the Lakers scored better than 1.2 points per trip when those actions led directly to a shot, foul, or turnover.

Kram writes the Lakers need to lean on it far more in 2025-26 to unlock the full potential of this star pairing. In LA’s defense, Doncic didn’t arrive until February. Now, he gets a full season of work with LeBron.

• Edwards chasing top-five status: Kram notes that Anthony Edwards’ rise has been steady but undeniable — first-time All-Star in 2023, second-team All-NBA in 2024, and sixth in MVP voting in 2025. Still, history says he needs to climb higher. Each of the past 21 NBA champions has featured a first-team All-NBA player, the kind of top-five talent who can tilt a postseason series. At 24, Edwards has the game and the resume to get there, and the Timberwolves may need that leap if they want to finally break through after back-to-back conference finals exits.

• Pelicans face an uphill battle: The Pelicans haven’t finished top-six in the West since 2018, and Kram suggests that streak is unlikely to end this year. Dejounte Murray is already recovering from a torn Achilles, Zion Williamson remains a constant question mark, and when Zion did play last season, the Pelicans went just 10-20, a 27-win pace. Kram adds that their decision to send out a future unprotected first just to move up in this summer’s draft looks even riskier against that backdrop. The downside looms larger than the upside in New Orleans.

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