The Lakers made their biggest splash this decade during the 2024-25 season: Luka Doncic in Purple and Gold. The franchise centerpiece has been secured for the next three years, a move that finally pushed the LeBron-era Lakers into something resembling a new identity. But the question now is whether they know how to build around him.

On the other side of the world, an old teammate just handed out the cheat sheet. Slovenian guard Klemen Prepelič, speaking candidly about his national team, drew up the recipe that makes Doncic unstoppable. And if the Lakers aren’t paying attention, they might already be failing the test.

“To be honest with Luka, you need one athletic big,” Prepelic said. “You need a stretch four. You have [Vlatko] Cancar, which is a great four, and then you need 2–3 who can shoot, create, and be aggressive defensively.” His words carried weight because he’s lived it. Luka’s best moments internationally came surrounded by exactly those kinds of players.

The formula works. When Slovenia rolled, it wasn’t just Luka’s brilliance, but the way the lineup opened space, let him orchestrate, and attacked with balance. Prepelic is not theorizing. He points to a pattern repeating itself, from EuroBasket highs to NBA stretches where Luka’s supporting cast clicks.

Dallas followed that recipe during their finals run, and the results were striking. Dereck Lively II was an athletic big man, and he quickly became one of the league’s premier young rim protectors, a lob threat who opened space for Doncic’s pick-and-roll dominance. P.J. Washington provided stretch shooting and defensive versatility at the four, while Maxi Kleber offered a steady veteran version of the same archetype.

Kyrie Irving filled the co-creator role, alleviating pressure on Luka in crunch time. Around them, Jaden Hardy and Dante Exum gave Dallas depth with a mix of perimeter defense, downhill attacking, and spot-up shooting. Even role players like Derrick Jones Jr. carved out impact minutes because they fit the mold: long, athletic, and complementary. It was the most balanced roster Luka had ever played with, and the chemistry showed in their playoff run, making it all the way to the Finals, despite Luka playing through multiple injuries.

The blueprint vs. the reality in L.A.

Even under the brightest lights, the differences are glaring. Last year, Dallas had Lively as the rim-running big, a vertical threat that pulled defenses into pick-and-roll chaos. Los Angeles? Jaxson Hayes can flash the athleticism, but it’s inconsistent, and the frontcourt hierarchy has shifted entirely since Davis’ departure.

At power forward, Dallas slotted in P.J. Washington and even Maxi Kleber as true floor-spacers, punishing rotations with timely threes. In L.A., the rotation leans heavily on veterans like Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt, who have plenty of energy and defense but lack the consistent spacing Doncic needs.

The backcourt is another separator. Dallas had Kyrie Irving as a co-creator, while Jaden Hardy and Derrick Jones Jr. supplied defense, slashing, and opportunistic shooting. The Lakers counter with Austin Reaves and recent addition Jake LaRavia in those roles, but neither brings the same two-way versatility Prepelic outlined. This is one of the most glaring disconnects in their roster compared to the blueprint.

That’s why Prepelic’s words sting even more now. Dallas built the perfect ecosystem piece by piece. The Lakers, meanwhile, have a superstar centerpiece, but not the supporting structure that optimizes it. And in the tight margins of the NBA, those missing pieces can make or break Luka’s impact.

Food for thought: Pelinka’s words from May outlined a clear blueprint for the Lakers: adding a “lob threat” at center and a “defensive core on the wings.” The team’s offseason moves, acquiring Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart, seem to fit that vision perfectly. Yet, this is where the paradox lies. Ayton, for all his talent, lacks the consistent effort and verticality of Dereck Lively II. Smart, a phenomenal defender, doesn’t provide the same knockdown shooting as the players Doncic thrives with. These aren’t the exact pieces from the Mavs’ blueprint, but a Lakers-specific interpretation. The team is trying to build a championship roster for the 5x All-Star while juggling the immediate demands of the final years of LeBron. It’s a strategic gamble: can this new collection of stars and role players find the right synergy? The Purple & Gold have the players, but do they have the right players? Only the on-court results will tell.