During the off-season, Luka Doncic dropped some weight and tormented his opponents. EuroBasket stint with an average of 34.7 points could be a sign of expectations this coming season. Signing a three-year contract extension worth $165 million also points towards the fact that the team is ready to bet on the 5x All-Star for future success. But Scottie Pippen raised some alarms that the Lakers nation won’t appreciate.

In an exclusive conversation with Marca, the Bulls legend dropped many bombs in the interview. From the old generation vs the current generation, to his thoughts about today’s superstar. That’s when he was asked, “Do you see Doncic as capable of leading the Lakers to a championship?” The answer was short and blunt. “I don’t know. His style of play got him to the Finals. But I’m not sure if that style will get him there again. It was a unique feat, but when they got to the Finals, they didn’t have much.”

Arriving in Los Angeles in February due to a seismic trade, the Slovenian began his journey with minute restrictions. Overcoming the calf strain issues, Luka Doncic would play in 28 games, and his average was 28.2 points. This helped the Lakers secure the third spot in the Western Conference. The team would end up winning 50 games, which was just the second time in 14 years. Even though the team may have crashed out in the first round, Luka Magic was on display in the postseason, with him averaging 30.2 points in 5 games.

Yet, for now, Scottie Pippen doesn’t feel that Doncic could lead the team to another NBA finals. But his reservations were not limited to one answer. “Could Luka Doncic or Nikola Jokic dominate in their era like they do today?” As the old age debate of current players dominating in the previous era, the question of today’s players being more skillful and the previous generation being physical is not going away soon. So, the Bulls legend gave his thoughts on Luka and the Joker.

“I don’t know if they could dominate. In the 80s and 90s, we used to press all over the field…” Any franchise that is its cornerstone, not winning a championship, may not hold a significant impact. But in the Lakers, the rings matter. Look at the history and legacy; players from Jerry Buss, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kobe Bryant, among others, all won championships and have their numbers in the rafters. If Luka can’t achieve that, it will be a bad feeling in the hearts of Lakers Nation. Especially when the team is moving away from the influence of King James.

Luka Doncic’s involvement and subsequent issues with LeBron James

This off-season was a complete 180 for LeBron and Luka. On one hand, trade talks surrounded the veteran 40-year-old, despite opting in on his $52.6 million player option. On the other hand, the Lakers gave the keys to the 25-year-old, an improved contract, plus his pull to bring in players. Not to forget, the team went to a Backstreet Boys show to celebrate the news of the Slovenian’s contract extension. It seems there were factors that led to this situation in the first place.

Yaron Weitzman of Bleacher Report revealed that LeBron wanted to sign an extension, but the Lakers were not on the same page this offseason. “He obviously wanted an extension, and it’s also clear that the Lakers wouldn’t give it to him,” said one NBA source familiar with LeBron and the Lakers, per Weitzman. It comes as a shock, since the 21-time All-Star averaged 24.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 8.2 assists per game with the Lakers last season. In fact, on the hardwood, his chemistry with Luka Doncic was also visible.

The Lakers moving on with Luka is not a bad choice. But the circumstances and the way they are doing it cause some concern. So, let’s see if they continue to perform like they did last season. Or the cracks become real and hamper their championship progress.