Lakers' Luka Doncic coming off minutes restriction should terrify the NBA

The NBA is about to get a taste of the Lakers at full power for the first time since they traded for Luka Doncic, and that should make them very, very afraid.

According to ESPN, Lakers head coach JJ Redick told reporters that Doncic was full go after playing limited minutes in his first two appearances with L.A. this season.

"He'll be fine," Redick told reporters Tuesday night, "That extra five, six days of All-Star break was good for him. His minutes will be up [Wednesday], and I don't think that there's going to be any sort of restrictions going forward."

In other words, buckle up folks, because we're about to see a very different, very scary Lakers team if the teasers before the All-Star break were any indication.

Doncic and Lakers star LeBron James seemed to develop an almost immediate chemistry, playing off one another beautifully in both games. The fact they were doing that despite Luka being in and out of the lineup and not getting the kind of minutes you'd normally expect him to see is a sign that once things get fully rolling,

Doncic and James' chemistry is going to be key for the Lakers' success moving forward this season, and likely next as well. Early indications seem to be that Luka has a knack for connecting with James, as well as shooting guard Austin Reaves, and when he's on the court, the offense seems to run smoother than it had previously with Anthony Davis in the middle.

Expect Los Angeles to get even more lethal in transition with Doncic at full strength; while they don't have great size anymore, they do have a ton of athleticism, and a better blend of shooters, playmakers, and off the ball offensive contributors than they did before. Expect them to push the tempo a bit more, move the ball around, and do some experimenting with how Doncic, Reaves, James and company play off one another now.

Defense, especially in the paint, will likely be an issue, sure. Doncic is hardly an expert in that regard, and losing Davis would be a blow to any team's defense.

But make no mistake: this Lakers team is good, better than they were before the trade. And the longer this season goes on, the better they're going to get.

And that fact alone should be enough to have the rest of the league very, very worried.

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