How the Lakers’ Offense and Defense Have Changed After the Luka Trade
The Lakers’ defensive system relies heavily on switching and collapsing help defense, which requires strong execution and communication. After trading D’Angelo Russell for Dorian Finney-Smith, their defense immediately improved—not just because they got the right personnel, but also due to increasing team chemistry and discipline.
Following Anthony Davis’ departure, the Lakers added Jarred Vanderbilt and Jordan Goodwin. Luka Dončić’s ball-handling has activated LeBron James on defense, and Jaxson Hayes has made significant strides on both ends of the floor. These additions have helped fill the gap left by AD.
Offensive Changes
The offensive shift is straightforward—Davis’ on-ball creation was average for a superstar, while Luka is one of the best perimeter creators in the league. Naturally, the team’s offensive approach had to change.
Before the trade, the Lakers’ offense revolved around LeBron and Austin Reaves initiating plays up top, primarily to create scoring opportunities for Davis in the paint. Even though LeBron and Reaves have different sweet spots, they both prefer operating inside the free-throw line.
This meant that no matter how the Lakers adjusted their roster or playstyle, their fundamental offensive philosophy was always centered on attacking the paint.
At the start of the season, J.J. Redick designed an offensive scheme featuring Davis as a high-post initiator, surrounded by off-ball movement. The idea was to leverage Davis’ scoring threat to create passing opportunities—Reaves as a secondary playmaker, backdoor cuts along the baseline, and so on.
In theory, if this worked, Davis would consistently get post-up opportunities, while LeBron could attack closeouts or spot up for threes, forcing defenses to collapse and creating open looks for teammates.
Where were the open shots supposed to come from? Mainly three-pointers from the wings and corners, some weak-side 45-degree spot-ups, and occasional cuts to the basket.
But Davis never fully settled into a lead scoring role over the course of the season. His strength was never heavy on-ball usage—he was at his best playing off the ball, finding different ways to piece together 25+ points. Plus, his passing under pressure got exposed, breaking the system from the ground up.
Meanwhile, the Lakers never had a truly great spacing environment. Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, Reaves, and Max Christie were all capable of some on-ball creation, but none were reliable knockdown shooters.
To accommodate LeBron and Davis’ preference for operating inside, these role players had to space out beyond the arc. But with LeBron and AD no longer able to force their way to the rim as easily, the spacing advantage didn’t translate into high-quality open shots.
The result? Defenses packed the paint because they knew the Lakers wanted to attack inside. The role players couldn’t consistently punish this strategy, leading to stagnation. The Lakers often found themselves stuck on offense, watching Davis settle for contested mid-range jumpers, only for the opponent to grab the rebound and push in transition.
Did Davis want to attack? Of course. But defenses were designed to take that away. If Davis couldn’t get inside, why would anyone else be able to?
How Luka Changed the Lakers’ Offense
After trading for Luka, the Lakers’ offensive identity shifted from forcing interior scoring to a high pick-and-roll system.
This wasn’t just because Luka is a better shooter than Davis—it was a complete change in offensive philosophy.
The pre-trade Lakers’ offensive strategy always led back to attacking the paint. Opponents countered by packing the interior, making outside shooting a “make-or-miss” gamble. If the shots fell, the Lakers looked great; if not, the offense stalled.
With Luka, the offense now starts at the top of the key, forcing defenses to adjust their focus away from the rim.
Luka’s pick-and-roll game demands that defenses bring their attention higher up the court. If the opposing center drops or switches, Luka can punish them from the perimeter or mid-range. Even without a screen, Luka can isolate from the top, post up from the wings, and force help rotations.
As a result, teams have resorted to trapping Luka at the top of the key, leading to 4-on-3 situations where the Lakers can exploit open space.
Since Luka’s arrival, the Lakers have seen a noticeable increase in 4-on-3 opportunities and open three-point attempts. This highlights the shift in offensive philosophy:
• When a team can’t force a defensive scheme change, it struggles to create advantages.
• When a team can consistently force defenses to shift, it gains the upper hand through ball movement.
Where do the open looks come from now?
• Roll men in the middle now have more freedom to finish or make plays.
• Shooters on the wings get cleaner looks.
• Secondary playmakers have more room to attack closeouts and make secondary drives.
Luka’s ability to create from both the perimeter and inside has optimized role players’ efficiency. The biggest beneficiary has been Hachimura—he’s not just a spot-up shooter but a versatile scorer who can attack mismatches and cut to the rim. Previously, Davis occupied the deep paint, forcing Rui into a more limited role. Now, he’s back to playing a more natural, balanced offensive game.
Jaxson Hayes has also thrived as a lob threat in the pick-and-roll. The only player struggling at times is Vanderbilt, who lacks both shooting and finishing touch, limiting his effectiveness in small-ball lineups.
Overall, though, the Lakers’ offense is now fundamentally improved. The increase in 4-on-3 situations and open threes is the clearest indicator of this.
Even during Luka’s first 10 games—when the team struggled with cold shooting—the offense still felt fluid and dynamic, unlike the stagnation seen earlier in the season.
The Bottom Line
This is the key takeaway from the post-AD trade Lakers:
A lead ball-handler who can consistently force defensive shifts and create for others makes everything easier. Luka’s ability to do this has stabilized the Lakers’ offensive structure, allowing LeBron, Reaves, and others to play simpler, more effective roles.
With this new approach, the Lakers’ offense no longer struggles with shot creation. They’ve built a system that can reliably manipulate defenses and generate quality looks, making them a far more dangerous team moving forward.
