Paul George believes the Los Angeles Lakers made the right move by trading for Luka Doncic. The Philadelphia 76ers star shared his thoughts on Podcast P with Paul George, explaining why he thinks the James-Doncic duo will work.
“I think it’s gonna work on the simple fact that both of those two are high-level IQ players,” George said, per Matthew Valento of Lakers Nation.
“They understand spacing. They understand pick and roll. They see plays two, three plays ahead. They know how to manipulate the defense,” he added.
Despite Doncic’s adjustment period, George sees his fit alongside LeBron James as promising.
“They’re both obviously great with the basketball in their hands,” he continued. “I think that’s an area Luka can probably be better at, is playing with the ball out of his hands, so that’ll be an adjustment.”
Doncic has been easing into his role in Los Angeles while managing a calf injury. Since joining the Lakers, he has averaged 19 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 5.8 assists in 27.8 minutes per game.
Before the trade, he put up 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 7.8 assists in 35.7 minutes per game for the Dallas Mavericks.
He made his Lakers debut on February 10 against the Utah Jazz, finishing with 14 points in 24 minutes. Doncic’s best performance so far came on February 22, when he dropped 32 points in a win over the Denver Nuggets.
George also noted how the trade allows James to play off the ball more often.
“LeBron is a basketball-dominant player. Obviously, he can play off the ball as well. And I think that was the reason Luka was brought over, so that Bron can be off the ball a little bit more and not have to make all the plays,” George said.
James has continued to produce at a high level, averaging 24.7 points, 8.8 assists, and 7.7 rebounds per game.
The blockbuster trade that brought Doncic to Los Angeles also included Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris.
Dallas received Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick, while Jalen Hood-Schifino and a 2025 second-round pick were sent to Utah.
The Lakers have won key games since acquiring Doncic, positioning themselves as contenders in the Western Conference.
At 34-21, they sit fourth in the standings, putting them in the mix for home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
As Doncic continues to adjust, all eyes will be on how well he and James coexist in the Lakers’ system.
