Lakers' early exit not on Luka Doncic or indicative of franchise's future  

As the dust settles on the Los Angeles Lakers' season, many are speculating about the future of the franchise and looking back on the decision to trade for Luka Doncic. 

Despite the disappointment of a five-game series loss, it's important to remember that the Doncic trade wasn't really about this season; it was done for the Lakers' future above all else. 

The Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday in a game where Doncic scored 28 points in 40 minutes. Doncic was Los Angeles's best player throughout the entire series, at least from an offensive perspective. 

Doncic averaged 30.2 points, seven rebounds and 5.8 assists per game against Minnesota in the series. 

And even though some will point to his struggles defensively and the fact that he appeared out of shape, the same thing Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison referenced as their reason for trading the five-time All-NBA superstar, nothing about Doncic's play should be cause for any revisionist commentary about bringing him to Los Angeles. 

The thought that a team can't advance far in the postseason with Doncic due to his defensive deficiencies was debunked last year when he led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals. It's possible that won't change at this point in Doncic's career. 

While it's possible he could be even better if he had a stronger physique and focused on both ends of the court, it's just unlikely to happen. But even if they don't, the Lakers can still win with Doncic. 

Los Angeles needs to build a team properly around Doncic, much the way Dallas did before shipping him out of town. The Lakers have to find a way to find more bigs, ideally a natural center and an ability to contend on the glass. 

The Timberwolves won the rebounding battle 54-37 in Game 5 and only lost the rebounding battle once throughout the series, ironically in the only game the Lakers won. 

Doncic can rebound, and of course, so can LeBron James, who reached double digits in rebounds three times in the series. However, your two best offensive threats should not also be your top rebounders. 

It's too taxing on the bodies of a 40-year-old James and Doncic at his conditioning level to be asked to compete for as many rebounds as they are for the Lakers to compete in a Western Conference full of size and athletic big men. 

This is not news to Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka. He knows the Lakers don't have big men they can rely on like they did when they won a championship in 2020 with Dwight Howard and JaVale McGee roaming under the basket. 

Assuming James returns for his 23rd NBA season, Pelinka's top priority will be reshaping the roster to best fit around an aging legend and the star he will eventually pass the torch to. 

But no matter what the Lakers do in the offseason, Doncic continues to prove he will produce regardless of the circumstances around him. The pressure is now on the Lakers to put the team in the best position to truly contend for another championship, thus simultaneously maximizing the end of James' career and the prime years of Doncic.