Fortified by acquisitions of various degrees, the lords of the rings find themselves back in the hunt for title No. 5, leaving us wondering how deep LeBron James and Stephen Curry can pull from their respective reservoirs to make it to June — one more time.

The trade for Luka Doncic and immediate connection he made with LeBron James has transformed the Lakers into legitimate title contenders.

Luka Doncic sat down with Malika Andrews of ESPN for an interview on Friday, one day before the Los Angeles Lakers begin the 2025 NBA playoffs. The Lakers will face the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of this year's postseason.