![\"NBA](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/lebron-james-and-luka-doncic.jpg\" "\\"LeBron")
LeBron James and Luka Doncic. (Image via Adam Pantozzi \/ NBAE via Getty Images) The Los Angeles Lakers may not be finished reshaping their roster. Despite already adding Deandre Ayton and re-signing Jaxson Hayes, the franchise is now being linked to New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson, a defensive powerhouse with a 7\u20194 wingspan. The move could provide Luka Doncic with another elite lob threat while also easing the pressure on Ayton.<\/p>\n
Los Angeles Lakers\u2019 New Direction Around Luka Doncic<\/p>\n
After acquiring Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks at the trade deadline, the Los Angeles Lakers<\/a> shifted their focus toward building a contender around the 26-year-old superstar. Doncic has made it clear he does not want to wait for success.\u201cDoncic being just 26 gives the Lakers a far longer timeline to build a championship-contending team, but that doesn\u2019t mean they can slow down and take their time. Doncic told Lakers president Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick in May that he\u2019s not interested in taking the slow approach in building a contender,\u201d CBS Sports\u2019 Jasmyn Wimbish wrote.<\/p>\n Los Angeles Lakers\u2019 Center Overhaul<\/p>\n Luka Doncic opened up about LeBron James (Image via Instagram \/ @lukadoncic)<\/p>\n This offseason, Los Angeles made the center position a priority. The team re-signed Jaxson Hayes while also bringing in Ayton. However, Ayton\u2019s reputation has been under heavy scrutiny.ESPN\u2019s Kendrick Perkins remarked: \u201cThe word around the league is not good about Deandre Ayton<\/a>\u2026 right now he\u2019s been labeled as a diva, as a cancer in the locker room\u2026 he has to change a lot about himself or he will find his career being shortened.\u201dDespite the concerns, the Lakers believe Ayton can thrive with the right support system. Adding Robinson could further solidify the frontcourt.<\/p>\n Mitchell Robinson: A Knicks Asset on the Market<\/p>\n Reports indicate that the Knicks are open to testing the market for Robinson, who is on an expiring $12,954,546 contract. His skillset aligns with what the Lakers are searching for: a defensive anchor and dominant rebounder who can play alongside Ayton and Hayes.Lake Show Life\u2019s Maxwell Ogden summed up Robinson\u2019s value: \u201cRobinson is a giant of an individual with shocking athleticism and elite production as a defender and offensive rebounder. Standing at 7\u20190\u201d and 240 pounds with a 7\u20194\u201d wingspan, he\u2019s physically imposing standing still and downright terrifying in how quickly he can leap into the air or close the distance to the perimeter.\u201d<\/p>\n Why Robinson Could Be the Missing Piece<\/p>\n Robinson\u2019s addition would benefit both Ayton and Doncic: \u2022 Ayton would have less pressure to handle defensive responsibilities alone. \u2022 Doncic would gain another explosive rim-running option, reminiscent of the lob threats he excelled with in Dallas.<\/p>\n Potential Benefits for the Los Angeles Lakers<\/p>\n While the Los Angeles Lakers must navigate financial constraints carefully, Robinson\u2019s manageable contract makes this move realistic. His defensive prowess and rebounding dominance could be the kind of upgrade that genuinely moves the needle for Los Angeles.Also read: NBA Trade Rumors: Los Angeles Lakers Predicted to Land $54.2 Million Dallas Mavericks Center; Gabe Vincent Key Trade Asset?<\/a>As Hunter Cookston originally reported, the Los Angeles Lakers are weighing the option of bolstering their roster with Robinson, signaling that their offseason might not be finished just yet.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"LeBron James and Luka Doncic. (Image via Adam Pantozzi \/ NBAE via Getty Images) The Los Angeles Lakers…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":237582,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[40],"tags":[3363,3141,3365,28461,1260,20511,62,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-237581","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nba","8":"tag-lebron-james","9":"tag-los-angeles-lakers","10":"tag-luka-doncic","11":"tag-mitchell-robinson","12":"tag-nba","13":"tag-nba-trade-rumors","14":"tag-sports","15":"tag-united-states","16":"tag-unitedstates","17":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115228016862118229","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/237581","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=237581"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/237581\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/237582"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=237581"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=237581"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=237581"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Luka](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/luka-doncic-opened-up-about-lebron-james.jpg\" "\\"Luka")
<\/p>\n\n Player<\/td>\n Benefit from Robinson Trade<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Luka Don\u010di\u0107<\/a><\/td>\n Gains a consistent lob target and rim protector support<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Deandre Ayton<\/td>\n Reduced pressure, ability to focus more on offensive play<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n \n Jaxson Hayes<\/td>\n Remains a rotational piece with additional flexibility<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n