After previously believing Luka Don\u010di\u0107 was destined to get the Los Angeles Lakers back to a championship level, NBA media is no longer buying what they were selling just a year ago.<\/p>\n
When the Lakers stunned the NBA by acquiring Don\u010di\u0107 for Anthony Davis at the trade deadline last season, it was viewed as a historic trade and a historic fleecing of the Dallas Mavericks. A 25-year-old superstar with the talent and potential to break into the NBA\u2019s Mount Rushmore, Don\u010di\u0107 was already being treated like the next great player to grab the baton in Lakers history. And remember everyone fawning over Don\u010di\u0107 recommitting himself to losing weight<\/a> and getting fit last summer? Fast forward a year, Don\u010di\u0107 is averaging 32 points, eight rebounds and eight assists per game, the Lakers are more than 10 games over .500, but the media seems ready to concede they overvalued him.<\/p>\n In the wake of LeBron\u2019s close friend Chris Paul saying he wouldn\u2019t hesitate to pick Shai Gilgeous-Alexander over Don\u010di\u0107, it seemingly opened the door for media members to jump off Luka\u2019s bandwagon.<\/p>\n Chris Broussard weighed in on Paul\u2019s take this week, echoing the sentiment by claiming \u201cI would definitely take Shai or Luka just to build a team. I would rather have [Shai Gilgeous-Alexander] on my team.\u201d SGA won the MVP last season, it\u2019s not like they\u2019re taking Dillon Brooks over Luka, but this isn\u2019t a take many NBA commentators would have given last February. And Broussard took his pivot on Luka a step further, claiming he may never win a title. It seems worth noting Don\u010di\u0107 is 26, LeBron James was 27 when he won his first championship, Michael Jordan was 28.<\/p>\n \u201cLuka is phenomenal and he\u2019s clearly already a Hall of Famer, but I think it\u2019s on the table that Luka never wins a championship. I\u2019m not predicting that\u2026I think it\u2019s possible.\u201d@Chris_Broussard<\/a> explains: pic.twitter.com\/i1wDBGSwdt<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 First Things First (@FTFonFS1) February 24, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Colin Cowherd was critical of Don\u010di\u0107 this week while conveniently excusing LeBron from the Lakers struggles, claiming \u201cit\u2019s on Luka to make it work.\u201d Cowherd proceeded to claim the 26-year-old is \u201caging quickly\u2026his athleticism is regressing.\u201d Again, Cowherd is talking about a player who is averaging 32, 8 and 8 on the season.<\/p>\n Will Luka and the Lakers ever figure it out? \ud83d\ude2c @colincowherd<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/g1ZNhNYFd4<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Herd w\/Colin Cowherd (@TheHerd) February 24, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Zach Lowe joined in on calling Don\u010di\u0107 out, claiming he is \u201cunwatchable\u201d because of how much he whines at the officials. Which in Lowe\u2019s defense, is borderline true. \u201cUnwatchable\u201d might be extreme, but Don\u010di\u0107 incessantly complaining to the referees is certainly frustrating to watch, and this is coming from a fan who regularly watches Karl-Anthony Towns<\/a>.<\/p>\n Zach Lowe GOES OFF on Luka for his constant complaining to the refs \ud83d\ude33<\/p>\n \u201cThe whining is back to peak Dallas levels. It\u2019s every f*cking play! Just play man! Not everything is a foul. Are you playing to draw a foul or playing basketball? Which one are you doing? Are you playing 1\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/y8QFqWp2KN<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 NBA Courtside (@NBA__Courtside) February 24, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Brian Windhorst was less dismissive of Don\u010di\u0107 specifically Wednesday morning on First Take, but he did admit Luka, LeBron and Austin Reaves just aren\u2019t capable of forming a good team<\/a>. And maybe the Lakers big three can\u2019t fit together as a cohesive unit. They\u2019re three very talented players. They\u2019re even three unselfish players, but they\u2019re all at their best when the ball is in their hands. So, even when they\u2019re trying to get each other involved, it still seems like only one of the Lakers big three will perform well on the court at a time.<\/p>\n There\u2019s reason to be critical of Luka with the Lakers appearing like a full notch below the teams with a legitimate chance at winning a title this season. And if any one of these takes were given on their own, it probably wouldn\u2019t have been all that noteworthy. But it is interesting to see a wrath of sports media members turn on Luka in the same week. Maybe it\u2019s coincidence. Or maybe LeBron\u2019s camp is starting to feel like this big three can\u2019t fit together and decided to sound the alarms.<\/p>\n \t