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5 Players Lakers Should Target to Build Title Contender Around Luka Doncic in 2027

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Luka Doncic
Luka Doncic
5 Players Lakers Should Target to Build Title Contender Around Luka Doncic in 2027

NEW YORK — With Luka Doncic now leading the Los Angeles Lakers following his blockbuster acquisition, the franchise enters the 2026-27 offseason with a clear mandate: surround the Slovenian superstar with complementary talent capable of delivering an NBA championship in 2027.

Doncic, one of the league’s most dominant offensive forces, thrives in a system that emphasizes spacing, secondary creation and elite defense. The Lakers, already possessing a strong core, must prioritize roster upgrades that address defensive shortcomings, add shooting and provide physicality without disrupting Doncic’s playmaking rhythm. Here are five realistic targets the Lakers should pursue to construct a legitimate title contender around their new franchise cornerstone.

1. A Defensive Anchor Like Rudy Gobert or a Similar Rim Protector

The Lakers need a dependable big man who can anchor the paint and alleviate defensive pressure on Doncic. Rudy Gobert, the three-time Defensive Player of the Year, remains the gold standard. His elite rim protection and rebounding would allow Doncic to focus on orchestrating the offense rather than constantly helping on drives. Gobert’s screening and rolling ability also complement Doncic’s passing vision, creating easy scoring opportunities in the pick-and-roll.

Even if Gobert proves unattainable due to salary or trade complications, alternatives like Walker Kessler or a versatile frontcourt piece could fill the role. Adding such a defender would address the Lakers’ vulnerability in the paint and improve overall team defense, a critical factor in championship contention.

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2. A Sharpshooting Wing Such as Klay Thompson or a Comparable Veteran

Spacing is essential for Doncic’s gravity to work effectively. A proven three-point shooter like Klay Thompson would provide floor spacing and off-ball movement that forces defenses to account for multiple threats. Thompson’s championship pedigree and ability to thrive as a secondary option make him an ideal fit alongside a primary creator like Doncic.

Younger wings with shooting ability, such as a rising talent with size and defensive versatility, could also serve this role long-term. The Lakers must prioritize players who can knock down open threes created by Doncic’s drives and passes, stretching the floor and opening driving lanes.

3. A Secondary Playmaker and Scorer Like Tyrese Haliburton or a Similar Guard

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While Doncic excels as the primary ball-handler, a reliable secondary creator would reduce his workload and improve ball movement. Tyrese Haliburton’s elite passing and shooting would form a devastating backcourt tandem with Doncic, creating mismatches and pace advantages.

A guard with size, defensive ability and playmaking instincts would allow the Lakers to deploy lineups that keep defenses guessing. This addition would enhance offensive versatility and provide insurance during Doncic’s rest periods or against teams that load up to stop him.

4. A Veteran Leader and Champion Like Draymond Green or a Similar High-IQ Forward

Championship teams require vocal leaders who understand winning culture. A veteran like Draymond Green, known for his defensive intensity and basketball IQ, would provide the intangibles necessary for a title run. Green’s ability to communicate on defense and set screens would elevate the team’s collective performance.

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Even if Green is not available, a similar high-character veteran with playoff experience could mentor younger players and stabilize the locker room. Such a player would help translate Doncic’s individual brilliance into team success during the grind of a long season and deep playoff run.

5. A High-Upside Athletic Wing Like Mikal Bridges or a Comparable Two-Way Talent

Athleticism and two-way versatility would complement Doncic’s game by providing perimeter defense and secondary scoring. Mikal Bridges’ ability to guard multiple positions while knocking down threes would address defensive gaps and add scoring punch without demanding heavy usage.

A younger wing with similar traits could develop into a long-term co-star. This type of player would allow the Lakers to switch defensively across the board and create transition opportunities that maximize Doncic’s court vision.

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The Lakers possess significant assets and cap flexibility to pursue these targets through free agency, trades or the draft. Building around Doncic requires balancing immediate contention with long-term sustainability. The franchise’s recent moves signal a commitment to winning now, making this offseason critical for constructing a roster capable of competing against the league’s elite.

Doncic’s arrival has transformed the Lakers’ outlook. His elite scoring, passing and basketball IQ provide a foundation few teams can match. However, championship success requires supporting talent that maximizes his strengths while covering weaknesses. The five players outlined above represent a blueprint for constructing a well-rounded contender.

Management must act decisively. The window for a player of Doncic’s caliber is finite, and the Lakers must capitalize on his prime years. Strategic acquisitions that enhance spacing, defense and secondary creation will be essential to elevating the team from contender to champion.

The broader NBA landscape features several superteams and rising challengers. The Lakers’ ability to surround Doncic with complementary pieces will determine whether they can break through in a competitive Western Conference. With the right supporting cast, a championship in 2027 is a realistic goal.

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Doncic has already expressed excitement about his new environment and the opportunity to chase titles. His leadership and work ethic will set the tone, but roster construction remains the decisive factor. The upcoming offseason will test the Lakers’ front office as they aim to build a champion around one of the game’s most gifted players.

As free agency and trade discussions heat up, all eyes will be on Los Angeles. The basketball world is eager to see how the Lakers shape their roster around Luka Doncic. With the right moves, 2027 could mark the beginning of a new dynasty in purple and gold.

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OpenAI plans to go public, intensifying investment race with Anthropic

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OpenAI plans to go public, intensifying investment race with Anthropic

The company behind ChatGPT filed its plans one week after Anthropic did the same.

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Wendy’s unveils Minions and Monsters meals, toys ahead of July movie

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Wendy's unveils Minions and Monsters meals, toys ahead of July movie

Wendy’s on Monday announced it will be offering a custom Minions & Monsters meal starting later this month that includes limited-time meals and exclusive collectible toys.

The fast food chain’s new promotion will spotlight Illumination’s Monsters and Minions with the limited-time offerings starting on June 15, ahead of the movie’s arrival in theaters on July 1.

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It features themed meals for both children and adults, as well as an all-new Banana Frosty Swirl with a sweet banana cream sauce swirled into a Vanilla Frosty base.

WENDY’S TO CLOSE HUNDREDS OF RESTAURANTS AS COMPANY LOOKS TO FOCUS ON VALUE TO BOOST SALES

The Wendy's Minions & Monsters meal

Wendy’s is offering special Minions & Monsters meals and collectibles. (Courtesy of Wendy’s / Fox News)

“The best partnerships start with an understanding of what our fans are passionate about,” said Lindsay Radkoski, U.S. chief marketing officer for The Wendy’s Company.

She added that, “By bringing together one of the world’s most beloved entertainment franchises with Wendy’s iconic, high-quality food and customers love, we’re creating shared experiences that fans will go bananas for this summer!” 

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WENDY’S $100K ‘CHIEF TASTING OFFICER’ CONTEST SPARKS HILARIOUS FAST-FOOD SOCIAL MEDIA SPAT

Ticker Security Last Change Change %
WEN THE WENDY’S CO. 6.74 +0.03 +0.45%

Wendy’s Monsters & Minions adult meal will include the choice of a Big Bacon Classic or a new Spicy Chicken Sandwich, plus a small order of fries and a small Banana Frosty Swirl. It will also contain one of four Wendy’s exclusive Minions & Monsters blind box collectibles.

Both the new Frosty and the Monsters & Minions adult meal will be available starting on June 15.

WENDY’S INTRODUCES NEW VALUE MENU WITH 3 PRICE TIERS

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Wendy's Minions & Monsters adult collectibles

The four Minions & Monsters collectibles in the Wendy’s adult meals. (Courtesy of Wendy’s / Fox News)

The Minions & Monsters kids’ meal is available now and offers the choice of 2-piece chicken tenders, 4-piece chicken nuggets, a hamburger or a cheeseburger. 

It includes a kid’s drink and either a junior-size order of fries or apple bites and one of six exclusive Wendy’s Monsters & Minions kids’ meal toys that feature the characters James, Henry, Ed, Richard Goomi and Dort.

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Wendy’s will also feature two new Coca-Cola Freestyle beverages as part of the Minions & Monsters campaign – a Pineapple Minion MischieFizz and Goomi’s Glimey Lime.

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Consolidated Lithium signs term sheet to acquire Quebec lithium project

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Consolidated Lithium signs term sheet to acquire Quebec lithium project

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Stock Funds Are Up 11.5% as Tech Rally Drives Market Turnaround

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Stock Funds Are Up 11.5% as Tech Rally Drives Market Turnaround

Earlier in the year, many fund investors thought double-digit gains for 2026 were a pipe dream. Suddenly, it’s reality.

A two-month stock rally powered by chip companies has helped the average U.S.-stock mutual fund or exchange-traded fund to a total return of 11.5% so far in 2026. The funds posted a total return of 4.4% in May, adding to the previous month’s 10.3% gain and pushing them into the double-digit status, according to statistics from

LSEG. (See Mutual-Fund Yardsticks table.)

Copyright ©2026 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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Form 13D/A Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. For: 8 June

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Form 13D/A Howard Hughes Holdings Inc. For: 8 June

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Former White House ‘AI czar’ warns overregulation could hand China AI lead

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Former White House 'AI czar' warns overregulation could hand China AI lead

Former White House “AI czar” David Sacks warned Monday that overregulation of artificial intelligence could erode America’s lead over China in the global race for AI dominance.

“If you try to have an FDA for AI and there are some people who want to go that far, then I think we could lose this AI race to China,” he said Monday on “Kudlow.” “We’re only six to nine months ahead of China. So really, every month counts.”

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His remarks come after President Donald Trump signed an executive order last week establishing a voluntary framework for AI companies to share certain advanced models with the federal government before wider public release.

Sacks, a longtime Silicon Valley entrepreneur, advocated for a lighter approach to AI regulation and cautioned that adding too many guardrails risks stifling innovation at a critical point in the competition with Beijing.

CHINA RACES AHEAD ON AI —TRUMP WARNS AMERICA CAN’T REGULATE ITSELF INTO DEFEAT

CHINA-US-DIPLOMACY

US President Donald Trump (L) shakes hands with China’s President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on May 14, 2026.  (Kenny HOLSTON / POOL / AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)

He likened Washington’s “tremendous” desire to regulate AI to that of climate change.

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“AI has become the new climate change,” he argued. “It’s this imminent catastrophe that is requiring all this government intervention. But there’s very little evidence to support it.”

“We’re open to evidence – if there’s actually a problem, we should do something about it. But I don’t think we should do it in this knee-jerk way,” he continued.

MORNING GLORY: WHY THE ANGST ABOUT AI?

While Sacks admitted that some frontier AI models – including Anthropic’s Mythos, which he described as an “at the level of a cyber weapon” – present serious cybersecurity concerns, he also cautioned against the “moral panic” surrounding emerging technology.

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“There is this panic, almost like a moral panic, around AI,” he told host Larry Kudlow. “And I’m just afraid that we might overreact and shoot ourselves in the foot and then hand this incredible technology to China.

White House AI czar David Sacks

David Sacks, White House Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Crypto czar, during The White House Digital Assets Summit in the State Dining Room of the White House in Washington, DC, US, on Friday, March 7, 2025. (Chris Kleponis/CNP/Bloomberg via Getty Images / Getty Images)

Sacks also pushed back on concerns that AI will take jobs from average Americans, pointing to recent labor market strength from a strong May jobs report.

PALANTIR’S SHYAM SANKAR: AMERICANS ARE ‘BEING LIED TO’ ABOUT AI JOB DISPLACEMENT FEARS

“There’s been a lot of claims that AI is gonna create some sort of imminent job apocalypse, but we’re seeing the exact opposite right now,” the former AI czar argued.

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“We just had this gangbuster jobs report in May, something like 172,000 new jobs, twice what all the economists were expecting, and a lot of that is because of AI.”

Sacks said a unified federal playbook for AI governance would be preferable to a patchwork, state-by-state regulations that have been guard railing the technology since its emergence.

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“What President Trump has called for is one rulebook. And I think if we can get that, if we work with Congress to work out a compromise, then that would be better than patchwork from the states,” he told FOX Business.

Trump is reportedly set to meet with executives from leading AI companies at the White House this week as the administration weighs its next steps on AI policy.

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OpenAI files confidential S-1 with SEC in step toward potential IPO

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Florida sues OpenAI over ChatGPT risks to children, seeks billions

OpenAI said Monday it has taken a formal step toward a potential stock market debut, signaling that the artificial intelligence company is preparing for the possibility of becoming a publicly traded firm.

The move gives OpenAI flexibility to pursue an initial public offering in the future, though the company indicated no final decision has been made on whether or when shares would begin trading publicly.

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“We recently submitted a confidential S-1. We expect it to leak so we’re just announcing it,” OpenAI said in a statement Monday. “We have not decided on timing yet; it may be a while because there are things we want to do that are likely easier as a private company. But it’s a complicated set of tradeoffs and this gives us the option to go public sooner if that ends up being best.”

The company added that the announcement does not constitute an offer to sell securities and that any future offering would be conducted in accordance with federal securities laws.

ANTHROPIC FILES CONFIDENTIALLY FOR IPO

Sam Altman, chief executive officer of OpenAI.

Sam Altman, chief executive officer of OpenAI Inc., speaks during BlackRock’s 2026 Infrastructure Summit in Washington, D.C. (Daniel Heuer/Bloomberg / Getty Images)

A confidential S-1 filing allows companies to begin the IPO process with the Securities and Exchange Commission without immediately disclosing detailed financial information to the public. The filing is often viewed as an important milestone for companies considering a future public listing.

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FOX Business previously reported that OpenAI was targeting a public offering as early as September and had been working with Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley on a draft IPO prospectus, according to a Reuters report at the time.

The Sam Altman-led company has emerged as one of the dominant forces in artificial intelligence following the launch of ChatGPT, helping ignite a wave of investment and competition across the technology sector.

BAY AREA BANKER WANTS TO SWAP HIS $8M ESTATE FOR AI COMPANY STOCK

Illustration shows OpenAI logo

OpenAI logo is seen in this illustration taken February 16, 2025.  (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic / Reuters)

OpenAI has since expanded its lineup of AI products for consumers and businesses while attracting billions of dollars in funding.

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Reuters previously reported that OpenAI had been laying the groundwork for a public listing that could value the company at up to $1 trillion, underscoring the enormous investor appetite for AI-related businesses.

AI LEADERS ARGUE SOFTWARE WILL ADAPT – NOT DIE – BUT VALUATIONS ARE STRETCHED

Wall Street and cash

Dollars bills. Background with paper dollar sheets and stamps for printing. 3D render. Wall Street sign in New York City’s financial economy and business district with America’s national flag background. Stock market trade and exchange zone. (istock / iStock)

The announcement comes as Wall Street closely watches the next generation of AI companies for signs they may enter public markets.

Earlier this month, rival Anthropic disclosed that it had confidentially filed for a U.S. initial public offering, potentially setting the stage for a high-profile race between two of the industry’s biggest players.

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While OpenAI stressed that no timeline has been finalized, Monday’s disclosure signals the company is keeping its options open as it weighs the benefits of remaining private against the opportunities that come with a public listing.

FOX Business’ Eric Revell and Reuters contributed to this report.

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IMF approves $163 million in new funding for Papua New Guinea

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IMF approves $163 million in new funding for Papua New Guinea

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Medtronic: A Dividend Aristocrat At A Steal Now (NYSE:MDT)

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Medtronic: A Dividend Aristocrat At A Steal Now (NYSE:MDT)

This article was written by

Hi, my name is Kody. Aside from my articles here on Seeking Alpha, I am also a regular contributor to Sure Dividend, The Dividend Kings, and iREIT+Hoya Capital. I have been investing since September 2017 (age 20) and interested in dividend investing since about 2009.Since July 2018, I have ran Kody’s Dividends. This is a blog that is documenting my journey towards financial independence using dividend growth investing as the means to transform the dream of financial independence into a reality. It’s also the inspiration of my pseudonym here on Seeking Alpha.By God’s grace, I owe everything to my blog for introducing me to the Seeking Alpha community as an analyst. That’s my story and I hope you enjoy my work examining dividend growth stocks and the occasional growth stock!

Analyst’s Disclosure: I/we have a beneficial long position in the shares of MDT either through stock ownership, options, or other derivatives. I wrote this article myself, and it expresses my own opinions. I am not receiving compensation for it (other than from Seeking Alpha). I have no business relationship with any company whose stock is mentioned in this article.

Seeking Alpha’s Disclosure: Past performance is no guarantee of future results. No recommendation or advice is being given as to whether any investment is suitable for a particular investor. Any views or opinions expressed above may not reflect those of Seeking Alpha as a whole. Seeking Alpha is not a licensed securities dealer, broker or US investment adviser or investment bank. Our analysts are third party authors that include both professional investors and individual investors who may not be licensed or certified by any institute or regulatory body.

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Earnings call transcript: Mama’s Creations beats Q1 2027 forecasts, stock rises

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Earnings call transcript: Mama’s Creations beats Q1 2027 forecasts, stock rises

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