PACERS COME UP HUGE AT HOME IN GAME 3 WIN 🔥A massive team effort including 49 bench PTS have the @Pacers taking a 2-1 lead in the #NBAFinals 🏁 pic.twitter.com/qwRq5Q9g1e— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 12, 2025

PACERS COME UP HUGE AT HOME IN GAME 3 WIN 🔥A massive team effort including 49 bench PTS have the @Pacers taking a 2-1 lead in the #NBAFinals 🏁 pic.twitter.com/qwRq5Q9g1e— NBA TV (@NBATV) June 12, 2025

Tyrese Haliburton and the Indiana Pacers have won 10 straight games following a loss 🔥They have not lost consecutive games since early March 😳 pic.twitter.com/2rnWA2rZm5— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) June 12, 2025

The Pacers didn’t just win Game 3—they smothered OKC with elite point of attack defense.From physical denials to relentless pressure, Indiana disrupted everything. Let’s break down how they took control of the Finals with their defense. 🧵⬇️ pic.twitter.com/4jR8qGipGy— Michael Jagacki (@Mike_Jagacki) June 12, 2025

But he is 6' 10" 240 lbs and can defend 1 thru 5. A Luka/Ben jumbo backcourt could be something special. Luka has never been paired with an elite defender so far in his career. In a way, Simmons would be kind of like Dyson Daniels. Gets his point via layups but his defense…— LakerTom (@LakerTom) June 12, 2025

I doubt it…

FROM THE ABOVE ARTICLE:

Seven seasons, endless combinations of teammates and lineups. What do they teach us about building a defense around Luka?

The Lakers’ season and Luka Dončić’s first run in Los Angeles ended with a quick and disappointing first-round exit. Following most of his team’s past failures, Dončić becomes the main talking point. In these moments, two familiar concerns return to the spotlight: conditioning and defense. Just like after the Mavericks’ Finals loss to the Celtics, both were again at the center of the conversation following the Lakers’ defeat against the Timberwolves.

Defense wins championships was the mantra Nico Harrison used to justify moving on from Dončić, and the loudest voices were quick to use his first playoff defeat as a Laker to argue Harrison was right. One of the best defenders in league history, and one of your writer’s favorite players, Gary Payton, questioned Dončić’s will to defend. Robert Horry, seven-time NBA champion and Lakers analyst, echoed the same concerns.

There is no doubt that some, or on some occasions even a lot, of the criticism is valid. After the Wolves loss, I wrote that Dončić had a rough series defensively. But like most aspects of his game, the conversation around Luka’s defense is polarizing. The things he does well and the things he struggles with are both so visible, and often magnified. Too often, they are also discussed in a vacuum, without considering the full context. In this series, that meant playing 42 minutes a night, carrying the burden of scoring 30-plus points, while trying to stay in front of one of the league’s most explosive guards in a switch-everything scheme without any rim protection behind him.

Context aside, whether the Lakers can build a competent defense that is good enough to contend for a title around Dončić will be one of the main questions heading into next season, and for the rest of his tenure in Los Angeles. As someone who has followed his career since his Madrid days and watched the answer evolve from “no chance” to “top-10 defense all of a sudden” during his six and a half seasons in Dallas, I can say there is now a large sample of evidence showing what works and what doesn’t. In this deep dive, I’ll try to highlight that evolution chronologically, along with some key takeaways that should shape how the Lakers approach this offseason and the future roster around Dončić.

Today’s highlights:

1. Let’s talk talent. Defensive talent.

2. Chronological look at past Dončić’s teams: what did we learn?

3. Signs of Dončić’s growth on defense?

4. Next step for Dončić and the Lakers

Something I’ve been repeating into the void for a while. Since Dončić was drafted in 2018, he has yet to play alongside an elite, All-Defense level defender. Not one.Very similar to Nikola Jokić in that regard pic.twitter.com/jPaiIUGhho— Iztok Franko (@iztok_franko) June 11, 2025

If you look at All-Defense voting none of Dončić’s teammates have ever come even remotely close. I did mention in the article that Mavs 23-24 team was the blueprint. And that Lively has all-defense potential… pic.twitter.com/uFknwRmayo— Iztok Franko (@iztok_franko) June 11, 2025

FROM ABOVE ARTICLE:

After finding themselves with a severe deficiency at center, the Lakers are developing an internal strategy to fix their frontcourt.

Rob Pelinka and the Los Angeles Lakers know they need at least one center. Such is agreed upon unanimously across the organization. That said, the path to filling that gaping hole in the roster is up for quite a bit more debate internally. According to sources close to the team, it’s widely accepted they’ll need to trade for their likely starting center. Where the front office is more split on is what to do with their taxpayer mid-level exception – their only means of paying a free agent more than the veteran’s minimum.

For just a brief moment after the Luka Doncic trade, the Lakers looked like they might have just enough at center to get by. Jaxson Hayes was playing some of the best basketball of his career, LeBron James turned himself into a Draymond Green-type presence at center when they went small, and they appeared to have options if they so chose, with Christian Koloko and Trey Jemison III waiting to be converted.

Then, reality struck. It turns out, Hayes is not an NBA-caliber starting center. JJ Redick didn’t feel comfortable playing him any minutes in their final game of the season. James did play some center and fared ok. Rui Hachimura and Jarred Vanderbilt also spent time at that position with mixed results, too.

Rob Pelinka opted not to convert Koloko or Jemison after signing Alex Len, who played a total of four minutes in that first-round loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. When asked why he stuck with Len rather than converting either two-way player – and to be clear, both Koloko and Jemison helped the Lakers a lot more than Len last year – Pelinka bristled, which some might take for acknowledgment that it was a poor decision.

In the end, the Lakers entered their first postseason of the Doncic era essentially center-less against one of the biggest frontcourts in the league and were dominated physically. They know they absolutely cannot do that again, especially as they try to convince Doncic to ink a long-term extension this summer.

Veteran minimum contracts range anywhere from $1.2-$3.6 million, depending on experience. It’s simply unrealistic to even hope to land a starter at that rate. The Lakers watched that movie last year after trading away Anthony Davis and weren’t fans.

The taxpayer mid-level exception will sit at $5.7 million next season. This is also well below a starting center’s expected salary. Sure, maybe the Lakers could find a spot starter at that rate, but going into the offseason, banking on it would be a mistake.

This leaves the trade market as the only viable means to bring in the starter they need and, again, team sources indicate they’re prepared to head down that path. Where the Lakers remain split internally is whether or not to double down on the center position using the only tool by which they can pay a free agent more than the minimum.

League sources anticipate yet another tough market for free agents this summer, but it’s not so dry that Steven Adams will be available to the Lakers, let alone Myles Turner or Naz Reid. Clint Capela is considered within reach at $5.7 million and, as such, is expected to sit pretty high on the Lakers’ target board.

The Lakers could also target Kevon Looney using their taxpayer mid-level exception, but if he was going to accept that contract, he’d likely get it from the Golden State Warriors, sources say. Al Horford had a really good season given his age, and the Boston Celtics are going to be looking to shed salary, so he could also be an option if the Lakers want to double the number of 40+ year-olds on the roster.

If it’s Capela, Horford, Looney, or Adams, then league sources do believe the Lakers would utilize their taxpayer mid-level exception on a center even after trading for their starter. There are plenty within the organization pushing for this outcome, sources say. That said, there are others who point to Doncic, James, Hachimura, Dorian Finney-Smith, Maxi Kleber, and Jarred Vanderbilt as too much frontcourt spending.

So, one thing to look for, potentially – especially if the Lakers use their taxpayer mid-level exception on a big – is a trade where the Lakers send out a mid-tier expiring salary to bring in a more productive perimeter player. This would obviously come after the trade for their starting center, so as to know which salaries they’ll need for that deal, but balancing the roster should be a priority this summer.

First things first, though, Pelinka will need to find a center who helps convince Doncic to stick around long-term. By all accounts, Doncic is seen as a loyal guy who was ready to spend his entire career in Dallas before they traded him, so most people around the league anticipate that he will stay in LA for a while, but this isn’t the kind of situation the Lakers can leave to chance.

This sounds right. I don’t see us using draft picks to acquire a center.

15 mil for a backup center is too much. Besides the Lakers would not do that trade. If you want to trade Austin to the Magic, I would want Bitadze who could be a quality starter at center. 6.6 rebounds, 1.4 blocks and is a decent lob threat in 20 minutes a game. I also would want Anthony Black. He is a 6′ 7″ point guard that is considered one of the best perimeter defenders in the NBA at only 21. He can guard 1 through 3 and play on or off the ball. His offensive efficiency declined in his 2nd year but he has shown a lot of upside on that end. The Lakers stated they would want a foundational piece for Austin, and Black could be that piece. I would probably ask for the Magic’s 2nd first as well.

What’s the fascination with players that are either injured literally every season, have been severely affected by said injuries or both? Bearing in mind both how often and how many games both Isaac’s and Time Lord have missed and how being both available and consistent have defined Austin’s career some of these fake trades just make me shake my head…

It’s not that I don’t understand that there is a risk/reward equation you’re engaged in. I get it.

But there’s a flip side of being blinded by the idea of a pinch hit grand slam Hail Mary half court heave all in one. Plus, if we’re being honest…Rob just ain’t that guy. He lucked into AD (who orchestrated his own arrival) and he lucked into Luka (thanks Nico). His greatest move has been to fix his greatest mistake.

FROM THE ABOVE ARTICLE:

1. Lauri Markkanen
2. Walker Kessler
3. Deandre Ayton
4. Nic Claxton
5. Clint Capela
6. Nickeil Alexander-Walker
7. Nikola Vucevic
8. Chris Paul
9. Dennis Schroder
10. Robert Williams III

Very interesting article with trades or moves to get each of the 10 players. I especially like Robert Williams trade idea:

Proposed Trade Details

Los Angeles Lakers Receive: Robert Williams

Portland Trail Blazers Receive: Jarred Vanderbilt, Shake Milton, 2025 No. 55 Overall Pick

Health caveats aside, Robert Williams posted 5.8 PPG, 5.9 RPG, and 1.7 BLK in only 20 games before knee surgery, shooting 64.1%. Portland could move him with one year left on his deal, given their crowded center room, and the Lakers would be smart to move Jarred Vanderbilt in a potential deal for him.

If you buy the medical reports, Williams is the highest defensive ceiling on the board: a switch-to-the-perimeter big who also deters at the rim. Picture closing lineups of Luka-Reaves-LeBron-Williams. It’s a swing-for-the-fences move, and maybe the last one of the LeBron era.

Knecht, 2030 1st swap, and 2031 unprotected 1st for Kessler Rui, Kleber, 2026 1st swap, and 2028 1st swapGabe Vincent and whatever for LonzoVet min CP3 to orchestrate the bench offenseVet min bigLuka/Reaves/Wiggins/Bron/KesslerCP3/Lonzo/DFS/Vet min bigOmg Rob cooking pic.twitter.com/dyzMvMvB07— Teo 🇲🇰 (@LakeshowTeo) June 10, 2025

Don’t bet the house on any rumors. When was the last time a trade was transparent? AD from NO, I believe. Rob has no reason to show his cards.