Channing Frye isn’t questioning Luka Doncic’s talent. He’s questioning how much one player can do before a championship requires something different.
Speaking on the Road Trippin’ podcast, the former NBA champion pushed back on the suggestion that he dislikes the Lakers star. But he didn’t back away from his concerns about Doncic’s approach.
“No, I love Luka Doncic. I love Luka,” Frye said. “I just don’t think the way he plays basketball is going to win a championship. That’s it.”
Frye pointed to James Harden as a comparison, arguing that spectacular individual offense hasn’t produced the ultimate payoff for either player.
“I think both of those guys’ games are amazing, but their usage rate is not equating to championships,” Frye said. “Who plays like that? Who’s played like that and shown you that they can win a championship?”
Of course, Doncic has reached the Finals. So the argument is about whether he can finish the job, and how much help he needs creating offense to get there.
That’s where Frye’s criticism becomes as much about the supporting cast as Doncic himself.
“Luka has to feed his whole team other than Austin Reaves,” Frye said. “That’s a lot. That’s a lot of pressure on one person.”
Basically, Frye believes the Lakers need more players who can create offense without waiting on Doncic to provide the opportunity. His assessment of Doncic’s place in the game was considerably less complicated.
“Definitely not a hater,” Frye said. “He’s great. All-time great.”
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