Less than three months after the trade that shook the basketball world, the Los Angeles Lakers are headed into their first postseason with LeBron James and Luka Doncic atop their roster.

The Los Angeles Lakers secured the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference playoffs, earning them a matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the postseason. And superstar Luka Dončić believes the team has the goods to make a title run: The Dončić addition has certainly helped.

Here's everything you need to know about the 2025 NBA Playoffs. When do the NBA Playoffs begin? The play-in — the NBA's version of the Wild Card round — concludes on Friday ni

In perhaps the most anticipated first-round matchup, it's LeBron James and Luka Doncic vs. Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves.

The Lakers can counter by playing Hayes more, or even Vanderbilt for defense and rebounding, but those lineups haven’t been as effective as their “Lasers Lineup” — two 40-plus 3-point shooters in Finney-Smith and Hachimura around their big three.

Terms of the deal were not disclosed but the general manager since 2017 is now president of basketball operations.

General manager Rob Pelinka has received a contract extension from the Los Angeles Lakers less than three months after he acquired Luka Doncic

The Lakers announced no details of the extension for Pelinka, the longtime player agent who joined the Lakers’ front office in February 2017.