Apr 30, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) moves the ball up court against the Minnesota Timberwolves during the first half in game five of first round for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Lakers’ Luka Doncic Facing More Pressure Than Anyone Else in NBA, Claims Insider

Originally posted on Los Angeles Lakers on SI
By Ryan Stano | Last updated Aug 17, 2025 2:30 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers have locked up Luka Doncic for the long term, signing him to a three-year extension. Now, he is officially the face of the franchise.

Doncic is one of the best players in the NBA, and now he has spent an entire offseason with the Lakers. He has also been getting into the best shape of their life.

Despite the positive things that have happened for Doncic this offseason, one insider believes that he will be under a ton of pressure heading into next season.

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Lakers guard Luka Doncic might have the most pressure of anyone in the NBA

According to Michael Piña, Doncic has an enormous amount of pressure heading into next year.

"The pressure on Doncic is unlike what anyone else in the league is facing. Players with his potential can’t afford to spend two straight years in competitive irrelevance. The historical stakes are too high, especially now that he’s the central focus of a storied organization that’s awkwardly pivoting from one future first-ballot Hall of Famer to the next."

The Lakers were the third seed in the Western Conference last season, and they think they can be even better. They were bounced in the first round of the playoffs, losing to Minnesota.

Doncic's poor defense was a large talking point this summer. That's part of the reason why he was forced to get into better shape this offseason. That way, he can at least keep guys in front of him.

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Luka Doncic needs live up to the Lakers' expectations

Doncic is one of the best offensive players in the NBA. He can make a shot from everywhere on the court. His defense is going to be the question when the playoffs roll around.

Can Doncic stay in shape for the entire season? Can he avoid getting hurt in the middle of the year as he did last year? These are questions that need to be answered.

After he was traded to the Lakers, Doncic averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists per game. He shot 43.9 percent from the field and 37.9 percent from beyond the 3-point arc.