Lakers constantly failing Luka Doncic is tremendous news for the Spurs

The differences between the Lakers and Spurs are stark. San Antonio drafts a transcendent star and makes it to the NBA Finals in three years. Los Angeles gets gifted a generational star in his prime with LeBron James on the roster and can't figure out which way is up.

LA's GM Rob Pelinka has one task: put a group around his franchise player that will make him happy. Instead, they're stumbling through another offseason. Losing Rui Hachimura to the Clippers was just the latest headscratcher for the Purple and Gold. Doncic reportedly wanted him back on the roster, but that's not the only thing he's going to be miffed about when the games begin again.

It's exactly what Spurs fans want to see—especially those who remember the rivalry of the 2000s. Every year the Lakers waste in Luka's prime is one less contender standing between San Antonio and another championship.

The Lakers keep making life easier for San Antonio

Doncic has been in the NBA for eight years, and for eight years, he's been a middling to poor defender. He can be serviceable when fully engaged, but he needs a strong support system to make that work consistently. Pelinka hasn't really found players who are capable of providing that balance.

They've added Quentin Grimes, Collin Sexton, Sandro Mamukelashvili, and Kessler. The Lakers are expected to use Grimes as their primary defender, according to Dan Woike. He's a solid team defender, but he'll get cooked by guys like Stephon Castle, De'Aaron Fox, Dylan Harper, and the rest of the league's top playmakers.

The same goes for Jake LaRavia or Collin Sexton. LaRavia doesn't have the lateral quickness, and Sexton is undersized. Most of their guys just won't have the footspeed. Their structure will work fine enough against lesser teams because of their offensive potential. It's not going to cut it against the contenders of the league like San Antonio.

That's going to be a problem for Luka.

Luka won't stay patient with the Lakers forever

Great players want to compete for championships. Doncic certainly falls into that category, but he's not getting the help he needs to make it matter. If the Lakers keep surrounding him with flawed rosters, frustration is eventually going to set in. It wouldn't be difficult to imagine him requesting a trade.

To be honest, this was so predictable that I wasn't even sure the Slovenian superstar would sign an extension with them in the first place. LeBron James saved LA from obscurity when he chose to join them out of nowhere, and the Luka trade spread a little extra oil on that rusty bucket, but that franchise is not who they used to be.

Pelinka didn't go make those deals happen. They fell into his lap.

The Spurs have played the Lakers seven times in the postseason since 1999—tied for the most during that span (Phoenix). Watching them suffer is a double-edged sword crafted with blades of absolute bliss.

A traditional basketball power is out of the way, and on top of that, we get to see a longtime rival implode. Sounds like a gift from the NBA gods to me.

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