With LeBron James leaving the Los Angeles Lakers in free agency to join the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lake Show is fully in the hands of new franchise superstar Luka Doncic going forward.
While it remains to be seen if James’ exit will hurt the court for the Lakers, there’s a very real chance Doncic could be one of the biggest benefactors in the 41-year-old leaving Los Angeles, and that could come in the form of his MVP hopes.
Doncic made a strong case to win the MVP award this past season, but with James now gone, the Slovenian’s stat line will likely only grow stronger, and with more responsibility on his shoulders for next season, he could be in line to win the NBA’s most prestigious regular-season award.
LeBron James’ Lakers Exit Boosts Luka Doncic’s MVP Chances
GettyINDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA – MARCH 25: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers celebrates after a basket against the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on March 25, 2026 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
There might be very high expectations on Doncic next season with the Lakers, but throughout his eight-year NBA career, the 27-year-old has proven to take big responsibilities in stride, and that could very well be the case for Los Angeles’ 2026-27 campaign and his MVP award hopes.
Writing for LakeShowLife.com, Maxwell Ogden detailed how Doncic could be in line to put up Nikola Jokic-level numbers next season, which, if the Lakers are successful, could net him the first MVP honor of his career.
“Thankfully, with LeBron James no longer on the Lakers, Doncic has a path to MVP that three-time winner Nikola Jokic can relate to: Elite statistical balance,” Ogden wrote, adding that Jokic’s high-volume scoring, assist, and rebound numbers have automatically put him in contention for the award over the past few years.
“Doncic, however, has a chance to do something even more spectacular: Rank in the top 10 in each, all the while winning a scoring title and competing for the league lead in three,” he added. “That may sound like an outlandish feat, but Doncic is already a two-time scoring champion. He’s also coming off of a season in which he ranked third in assists, sixth in steals, and 22nd in rebounds. He was even second in three-point field goals made.”
Additionally, while Doncic put up a strong 28.9 points, 7.6 assists, and 6.6 rebounds while playing with James on the Lakers last year, those averages shot up to 38.7 points, 9.1 assists, and 9.0 rebounds per 75 possessions when he wasn’t sharing the ball with the NBA’s all-time leading scorer.
“Assuming Doncic can maintain anything close to that type of production with James out of the picture, he should be squarely in MVP conversations,” Ogden wrote, ending his argument. “If Doncic can produce a Jokic-level stat line while helping the Lakers compete for a top spot in the West, MVP will be a more realistic goal than ever before.”
Doncic’s NBA MVP Finishes By Year
GettyHOUSTON, TEXAS – MARCH 16: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers reacts during the first quarter of the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center on March 16, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
Doncic himself has expressed wanting to win the MVP award, and though it hasn’t happened yet, he’s come awfully close on a few occasions.
He made arguably his strongest case to win the MVP award last season, in which he was nearly deemed ineligible after not hitting the infamous 65-game mark. However, after the league made a ruling in his favor, he was eligible for the MVP, but finished fourth in the voting, behind winner Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jokic, and Victor Wembanyama.
Last year, Doncic put up strong averages of 33.5 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 8.8 assists on 47.6% shooting, but it wasn’t enough to beat out the other very strong candidates.
The Slovenian was ineligible to win the MVP award in the 2024-25 season, as he was injured for much of the year and played just 50 games as he was also traded to Los Angeles from the Dallas Mavericks.
The 2023-24 NBA season saw Doncic finish third in MVP voting, the highest of his career. In a year that saw him lead the Mavericks to the NBA Finals, he put up 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 9.8 assists on 48.7% shooting from the field. It was his best statistical season, but he still finished behind Jokic and Gilgeous-Alexander.
Before that, Doncic finished 8th (2022-23), 5th (2021-22), 6th (2020-21), 4th (2019-20), and unranked in his 2018-19 rookie campaign in MVP voting.
The star has come very close to winning the award several times, but perhaps with James now gone, playing alongside a freshly built Lakers roster, Doncic could be in line for his first MVP honor.
It will be tough, especially considering all of the other top players in the league, but if there’s a time for Doncic to take a step up, at least statistically, it will be next season in Los Angeles.
According to FanDuel, Doncic has +700 odds to win the MVP award next season, the fourth-highest out of the entire NBA.
Luka Doncic Gets Major Silver Lining With LeBron James’ Lakers Exit