Luka Doncic may be putting up MVP-like numbers and leading the All-Star votes. Yet he is falling short in a big way. From Dallas to Los Angeles, his lack of defensive engagement has begun to overshadow his offensive brilliance, leaving him exposed to criticism. Now, that scrutiny appears to be spilling beyond Doncic himself.

Carmelo Anthony relied on veterans like Allen Iverson. PJ Tucker is one of the grittiest 3-and-D forwards and a vocal veteran. When they were chatting on 7PM in Brooklyn, they let out their frustrations about Luka.

As a defender, Tucker wants Doncic to do the bare minimum, like “get the stops and put us in position to win and not be in coverage throwing your hands up and all the mannerisms like you don’t give a s—.”

Melo agreed and had a personal take. He pointed out that when the opposing team saw Luka, “their eyes is big.”

Now, Anthony was a prolific scorer who didn’t need to play defense. But defenders flocked to him to stop him. He used that to his advantage, and his wide-open teammates could attack the basket.

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This has been lacking in the Lakers, as anyone outside of Doncic and LeBron James is not having the same output as the stars. And considering what DeAndre Ayton said recently, they also rely on both of them to facilitate the offense. During that period, the miscommunication within the Lakers was evident, and it irked Melo.

“This is where the disconnect of not having real vets on your team. Bron not doing it… JJ wants to hold the [expletive] accountable, but he can’t because he’s giving me 40.”

To be fair, there was reportedly a meeting where JJ Redick and the team did hold Luka Doncic and LeBron James accountable in this regard. But Anthony wants more. Like, preferably that energy Bron had during his time in Miami.

Carmelo Anthony wants Lakers vets to hold Luka Doncic accountable

The Lakers are 23-12 with a laughable defensive rating that threatens their postseason chances. Melo’s frustrations stem from the lack of veteran support for Doncic. Especially when he knows LeBron James has relied on similar support.

“This is where the guys like PJ, guys like Udonis Haslem, those guys on the bench can really hold Luka accountable. Has to be somebody on that bench he respects,” Melo said.

It’s well known that Udonis Haslem took a huge pay cut to ensure that Miami could sign LeBron James while giving Dwyane Wade a raise. Bron himself has been outspoken about UD’s impact on him, so that he and the others left a few million on the table for UD to get his due. UD remains a locker room presence with the Miami Heat even after retirement. He represents a dying breed of vets who uplift as much as they demand accountability.

He was also a versatile defensive player. Combined with his player-coach persona, he ensured the likes of Jimmy Butler and Bam Adebayo didn’t compromise on offensive output with negligible defense.

Melo isn’t making it clear who should be the UD to Doncic. Maybe he means James, who experienced it. Or Marcus Smart, who is the team’s defensive pillar. But they need something to change in the Lakers’ dynamic.