StadiumPosts Logo
Stay upto date with notifications from Stadiumposts
Notifications can be managed in browser preferences

OPINION: LUKA DONCIC IS OFFICIALLY THE BEST LAKERS GUARD SINCE KOBE BRYANT

Luka Doncic is on a historic scoring tear for the Lakers, averaging 33.6 PPG. Compare his 2026 season to Kobe Bryant and Jerry West.

Opinion: Luka Doncic is Officially the Best Lakers Guard Since Kobe Bryant
Luka Doncic is a More Balanced Scorer Than Even Prime Kobe.

Luka Doncic hasn’t even wrapped up his first full season with the Lakers, but he’s already doing things that hardly anyone in franchise history has pulled off.

He’s 26, running the show at guard, and right now he’s putting up 33.6 points per game—the best in the NBA. And for the Lakers? That number means even more. According to Legion Hoops, the last time a Laker scored at this pace was Kobe back in 2005–06, when he averaged 35.4 and basically took over the league. In the twenty years since, nobody in a Lakers uniform has finished a season with a scoring average like Doncic’s.

What’s wild is how steady Doncic has been. He’s not just going off for one or two crazy nights—he’s been relentlessly consistent. Take Sunday’s win over Memphis: he dropped 36 points, and that was already his 19th game this year with at least 30. Not many players in the league have hit that mark, and if you look at Lakers history, guards rarely keep up that kind of pace all year.

Scoring gets most of the headlines, but Doncic is doing a lot more. He’s running the offence, taking on the toughest late-shot-clock possessions, and either setting up his teammates or just finishing the play himself. His assists and rebounds back that up, and he’s near the top of the team in both.

So, where does this season fit with the all-time Lakers greats? If you line up all the best-scoring years, Doncic’s numbers stack up pretty well, and he’s not just jacking up shots—there’s balance to his game. Kobe’s ''05–'06 season is still the gold standard for pure scoring, but it was all about high-volume shooting. Even LeBron’s best scoring year in LA didn’t touch Doncic’s current average, despite similar usage.

Honestly, averaging 30 or more for a season is rare for a Laker, no matter the era. Wilt Chamberlain did it back in the late ‘60s, Jerry West managed it a couple of times before that, and after them, only Kobe lived in that neighbourhood. Now Doncic is right there with them, just on the numbers alone.

He’s near the top of the league in points and minutes, night after night, no matter the opponent or the building. That consistency says a lot.

We won’t know the final totals until the season ends, but at this pace, Doncic is on track for one of the most impressive individual seasons the Lakers have seen since Kobe’s best years.

Even if you forget about the history for a second, the numbers make it clear—Doncic’s first full season in LA is already something special.

YANKEES MAKE SECOND OFFER TO CODY BELLINGER! WILL HE SIGN OR WALK?

The Yankees have made a second offer to Cody Bellinger. Plus, the latest on Edward Cabrera trade talks and Hal Steinbrenner's 2026 payroll.

top-news
Cody Bellinger is the Only Bat That Can Save the Yankees

The Yankees might have something unexpected up their sleeve.

Lately, they’ve been chasing Cody Bellinger, and it’s no secret he’s got plenty of teams after him. If he signs somewhere else, that’s a real gut punch for the Yankees this offseason.

Yankees insider Bryan Hoch from MLB.com thinks if Bellinger walks, the team won’t just sit around—they’ll look to make a big trade. Hoch said the Yankees have been pretty vocal about wanting Bellinger back, but the market’s crowded, and even the Mets across town want him. With owner Hal Steinbrenner talking about trimming the payroll, you have to wonder if the Yankees will actually put up the highest bid for Bellinger, no matter how good a fit he seems. Sure, they’ve got Jasson Domínguez and Spencer Jones in-house, but don’t be surprised if they swing for a big trade if Bellinger slips away.

Nobody really knows who that trade might be for, but it’d have to be a big bat to fill Bellinger’s shoes. Last season, in what could end up being his only year in the Bronx, Bellinger hit. 272 with 29 homers and 98 RBIs. Not easy numbers to replace.

Right now, the Yankees are laser-focused on bringing Bellinger back. According to Joel Sherman at The New York Post, they’ve already made a second offer to him. Sherman wrote that the Yankees’ sleepy offseason might finally be waking up—he and Jon Heyman both heard New York talking to the Marlins about pitcher Edward Cabrera, confirming a report from The Athletic. Sherman also learned about the second offer to Bellinger, and he thinks these two things are probably connected. If Bellinger comes back to play left field, with Trent Grisham in centre and Aaron Judge in right, moving either Domínguez or Jones in a trade suddenly makes a lot more sense.

We don’t know the exact terms of New York’s offer, but it’s obvious they want Bellinger back, and if they get him, it might mean Domínguez or Jones is on the move.

The Yankees haven’t made much noise this winter, hinting at a smaller payroll. Still, insiders Ken Rosenthal and Chris Kirschner from The Athletic say the Yankees are talking to the Marlins about a trade for Edward Cabrera. He’s 27, under team control through 2028, and is set to make $3.7 million in arbitration this year. As of Sunday morning, though, nothing’s close yet.

Cabrera would give the Yankees’ rotation a real boost, but for now, it’s just talk.

BREAKING: PETE CARROLL FIRED! RAIDERS SECURE NO. 1 PICK AND SEEK NEW LEADER

Pete Carroll is out in Vegas after a 3-14 season. Tom Brady and John Spytek hunt for a new coach with the 2026 No. 1 pick in hand.

top-news
Raiders Axe Pete Carroll After 3-14 Season

The Las Vegas Raiders made a big move in January 2025, bringing in Pete Carroll on a three-year deal with an option for a fourth. He was about to turn 74, but the team was desperate for some stability after churning through four head or interim coaches since 2021. They were drawn to Carroll’s track record with the Seahawks—237 wins, a Super Bowl in 2013, and a reputation for leadership and culture-building. The hope was he’d reset the vibe and steady the ship as a sort of bridge coach.

Things didn’t go as planned. The Raiders limped to a 3-14 finish, grabbed the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the wheels just kept coming off. Veterans wanted out. Young players barely saw the field. There were fights over how to handle injuries. Carroll brought in some of his old Seahawks guys, but they looked past their prime. Two coordinators got fired along the way. It was a mess.

Mark Davis made it official that X: Pete Carroll was out after just one disappointing season. Now, general manager John Spytek and minority owner Tom Brady are running the coaching search. Their top priority? Find someone who gets leadership and culture and can actually steer the team toward the long-term vision.

Word is, Tom Brady already has a favourite. Mike Florio at Pro Football Talk says Brady wants Brian Flores as head coach and Brian Daboll as offensive coordinator. Both guys have New England ties and a reputation for building a winning culture—the whole “Patriot Way” thing. Flores ran the Dolphins from 2019 to 2021, got let go in 2022, and has been the Vikings’ defensive coordinator since 2023. He’s also in the middle of a lawsuit against the NFL and several teams over discrimination and hiring practices. Daboll led the Giants from 2022 until halfway through 2025. If Brady gets his way, those two could be calling the shots in Vegas soon.

Premier League Standings

WhatsApp Read More News