TUPPER LAKE, N.Y. — Spain’s decision to commit up to 2 billion euros toward Europe’s Iris2 satellite constellation was directly motivated by concerns over Elon Musk’s dominant position in global satellite communications, according to Spanish Science and Innovation Minister Diana Morant, who oversees the country’s space sector.

Morant said Musk’s control over roughly two-thirds of all satellites currently operating in orbit, largely through his company SpaceX’s Starlink broadband network, factored significantly into Spain’s calculus when the government finalized its major investment in Iris2, Europe’s answer to Starlink, according to reporting from Space Intel Report.

Spain formally committed to spending up to 2 billion euros, or approximately $2.3 billion, into the Iris2 multi-orbit constellation in late July, when Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez announced the investment as part of the country’s broader Multi-orbit Satcom Special Modernization Program. The funding will support a national secure satellite broadband constellation that will ultimately be integrated into the wider European Iris2 network, while remaining under direct Spanish control.

Iris2, formally known as Infrastructure for Resilience, Interconnectivity and Security by Satellite, is being jointly managed by the European Commission and the SpaceRise consortium, a group of the continent’s leading satellite fleet operators, including SES, Eutelsat and HispaSat. The project represents Europe’s most significant effort to date to build an independent, secure satellite communications capability, reducing the bloc’s reliance on commercial providers such as SpaceX’s Starlink network for critical government, defense and emergency services communications.

Spain’s commitment marks the largest single national contribution to Iris2 announced so far among European Union member states, surpassing an earlier pledge of approximately 470 million euros, or roughly $536 million, from Poland, which is funding six dedicated satellites for the constellation’s medium-Earth-orbit layer and six more for its larger low-Earth-orbit shell.

The overall Iris2 program carries a total planned cost exceeding 15.6 billion euros, or roughly $18 billion, according to figures from the European Commission and industry reporting. The funding structure combines 11.6 billion euros in public investment from the European Commission and the European Space Agency with up to 4 billion euros contributed collectively by the three SpaceRise consortium members. The full constellation is designed to include 330 new satellites in low Earth orbit alongside 12 additional satellites in medium Earth orbit, with initial services expected to begin in 2030 following the program’s first satellite launches in 2029.

Spain’s own national contribution to the broader effort will fund a sovereign satellite communications capability comprising satellites operating across both low and medium Earth orbit, according to details of the Spanish Defense Ministry’s budget disclosure accompanying the announcement. That national system is designed to remain fully compatible with the broader Iris2 architecture while staying under direct Spanish governmental control, reflecting a broader European push toward what officials have described as sovereign satellite capabilities independent of any single foreign commercial provider.

HispaSat, part of Spain’s Indra Group, has separately been selected as the prime contractor for the ground segment of the broader Iris2 program, a role valued at more than 1.6 billion euros covering antenna infrastructure, control systems and land-based network connectivity across the constellation’s various orbital layers. That selection makes Indra the first Spanish company to secure a lead contractor role within the broader European program, further underscoring Spain’s growing stake in the project beyond its direct national funding commitment.

Musk’s Starlink network has grown rapidly since its initial launches, now comprising thousands of satellites providing broadband internet service across much of the globe, including regions with limited access to traditional terrestrial internet infrastructure. That scale has made Starlink the dominant player in the emerging low-Earth-orbit satellite broadband market, a position European officials have increasingly cited as a strategic vulnerability given the network’s status as a commercial asset controlled by a single American entrepreneur rather than a sovereign or multilateral European entity.

Concerns over reliance on Starlink for critical infrastructure have intensified across Europe in recent years, particularly in the context of the ongoing war in Ukraine, where Starlink terminals have played a significant role in maintaining military and civilian communications. That dependency has fueled broader European interest in developing independent satellite communications capabilities less exposed to decisions made by a foreign commercial operator, a dynamic that has featured prominently in policy discussions surrounding Iris2’s development.

European telecommunications companies have signaled a similarly cautious stance toward relying on Iris2 itself absent competitive terms. Telecom operators Orange and Deutsche Telekom have previously indicated they would only purchase capacity on the Iris2 constellation if the network’s offerings proved competitive with existing commercial alternatives, reflecting broader industry skepticism about whether a government-backed constellation can match the cost and performance benchmarks already established by Starlink’s commercial network.

Morant’s comments came during remarks at industry gathering in Tupper Lake, New York, where Space Intel Report covers ongoing developments across the global satellite and space industry. Her characterization of Musk’s satellite dominance as a motivating factor behind Spain’s Iris2 commitment reflects a broader pattern among European officials who have increasingly framed satellite communications sovereignty as a matter of national and continental security, rather than purely a commercial or technological consideration.

Spain’s investment adds to a growing list of national contributions to Iris2 from individual European Union member states, building on the underlying public-private partnership structure established between the European Commission, the European Space Agency and the SpaceRise consortium. With initial satellite launches still several years away and full operational capability not expected until 2030, the program remains in a relatively early phase of implementation, even as individual countries including Spain and Poland continue announcing substantial national funding commitments tied to the broader constellation.

As Iris2 continues moving through its development phase, with major manufacturing and launch contracts still being finalized among consortium members and their industrial partners, European officials are likely to continue emphasizing the strategic rationale behind the program, framing it explicitly against the backdrop of Starlink’s continued global dominance in the satellite broadband sector under Musk’s ownership through SpaceX.

Diesel hit a record price in the U.S. on Friday, soaring to an average of $5.85 a gallon for the first time as the six-month war with Iran disrupts the world’s flow of fuel.

Because diesel is used for many freight and delivery networks, higher diesel prices mean higher transportation costs for a long list of everyday goods.

This could add to Republicans’ political challenges ahead of November’s midterm elections, with voters already sour on President Donald Trump’s management of the economy. AP-NORC polling this summer showed 2 out of 3 U.S. adults disapproved of how Trump is handling the economy.

More expensive fuel is increasing bills for businesses across sectors – some of which have already passed on costs to consumers in the form of added fees on online orders and packages in the mail. And shoppers may see more and more sticker shock trickle down to store shelves.

One of the most immediate strains is being felt in the grocery aisle, particularly with produce, meat and other perishable foods that need to be hauled in and restocked frequently – or even harvested using diesel-powered farm equipment. It can take time for all of those costs to trickle down.

Still, experts warn that price hikes could mount the longer diesel remains expensive. A range of other products are also transported by diesel trucks, trains and boats, including clothing, cosmetics, furniture and more.
The price for regular gasoline has also been going up, although not as fast as the price of diesel. The average price was $4.15 a gallon, compared with $3.20 at this time last year, according to AAA, which says gas has never been above $4 a gallon on Labor Day.What’s driving the latest jump for diesel

Before the U.S. and Israel launched their war against Iran in late February, the national average for a gallon of diesel was about $3.76 in the U.S., per AAA. Prices quickly climbed as the cost of crude oil – the main ingredient in diesel, as well as gasoline – soared amid supply chain disruptions and production cuts across the Middle East, notably with most tanker traffic bottlenecked in the key Strait of Hormuz.

Despite prices cooling some during hopes for peace earlier in the summer, oil has now renewed its climb as fighting once more escalates between the U.S. and Iran. Brent crude, the international standard, was trading at more than $95 a barrel Friday, up from roughly $70 before the war. Prices at the pump always follow closely behind.

The last time U.S. businesses and drivers saw sky-high fuel prices was in June 2022, when diesel reached as high as nearly $5.82 a gallon on average, months after the Ukraine war began and world leaders imposed sanctions against Russia, a leading oil producer.

When adjusted for inflation, however, prices have been higher in the past. Ahead of the 2008 financial crisis, for example, diesel peaked at about $4.74 a gallon – equivalent to $7.20 in 2026, according to the government’s latest data. And 2022’s record of nearly $5.82 would be about $6.56 this year when accounting for inflation.

That doesn’t take the pain away from today’s steep prices, which are already bringing ripple effects for the economy and wider costs of living. Drivers are feeling the pain each time they fill up gasoline, too.

The average $4.15 for a gallon of regular unleaded is up from $2.98 before the Iran war, although still well below the 2022 peak of nearly $5.02 a gallon nationwide.

Diesel has been more expensive than gasoline for decades, and its price has risen at a faster pace during recent energy crises. Some reasons include tighter supply, less flexibility in demand, and diesel’s position in global commerce overall. Individual households may find ways to drive less when gas prices are high, for example, but there’s fewer immediate substitutes for networks that rely on diesel to help produce and haul goods worldwide.

All eyes on food

Diesel is integral to every part of the food supply chain. It powers farm equipment and fishing boats as well as the trains and trucks that get food to grocery stores.

Fuel accounts for roughly 15% to 30% of the total cost of food, according to the Independent Grocers Alliance, a grouping of 7,500 global supermarkets. Because of this, higher diesel costs often result in more expensive food, although it can take a while for energy shocks to wind their way through the supply chain.

Items that need to stay refrigerated while they’re transported are often the first to see prices rise, according to David Ortega, a professor of food economics and policy at Michigan State University. In July, for example, overall U.S. grocery prices were up 2.7% compared to last July, but seafood prices were up 7% and fresh fruit prices were up 4.9%.

Ortega cautioned that there can be other factors at play when food prices go up or down. Lettuce also faced higher transportation costs in July, but a drop in demand due to the cyclospora outbreak caused prices to fall.

Still, consumers could feel more of a squeeze the longer diesel prices remain high.

“Early on, much of the cost increase gets absorbed along the supply chain through existing freight contracts and retailer margins,” Ortega said. “But as contracts reprice and fuel surcharges take hold, more of that cost makes its way to the grocery store.”

More fuel shocks

Back in April, e-commerce giant Amazon rolled out a temporary 3.5% fuel and logistics surcharge on some third-party sellers. And United Parcel Service, FedEx and the United States Postal Service also moved to add fees on some of the packages they ship earlier in the war, citing rising operational costs for fuel overall.

Ajesh Kapoor, CEO and founder of trucking technology company SemiCab, said trucking and transportation can adapt to rising diesel prices – but at some point there is a limit.

“Diesel price has a very, very direct impact on everything that moves on pretty much any mode,” Kapoor said.

The ramifications extend beyond the movement of consumer goods. Some public transit buses and trains also run on diesel – and diesel generators are often used for backup or emergency power, if not central electricity sources in some remote parts of the world.

Experts warn that the consequences could continue to deepen – particularly in countries in Africa and Asia, which rely more heavily on imports from the Middle East and have already been hit the hardest by energy shocks over the course of the war.

Neil Atkinson, energy analyst and senior fellow at the National Center for Energy Analytics, said refined oil products like diesel are becoming more expensive as supplies get stretched.

“This is gradually becoming a major crisis because A) the prices themselves are very high – but the physical stocks of these products are dwindling,” he said in a weekly briefing with maritime data firm Lloyd’s List Intelligence, pointing to the strain on the global refining system. “This cannot go on forever.”

Associated Press writers Dee-Ann Durbin in Detroit, Mae Anderson in New York and Bill Barrow in Atlanta contributed to this report.

Consumers weighing whether to buy Samsung’s newly released Galaxy Z Fold 8 or hold out for Apple’s long-anticipated first foldable iPhone face a decision complicated by an unusual asymmetry: one device is already on the market with confirmed specifications and pricing, while the other remains an unreleased product built almost entirely on leaks and analyst projections ahead of its expected Sept. 9 unveiling.

Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 lineup launched Aug. 7 following its formal reveal at Galaxy Unpacked on July 22 in London. The standard Galaxy Z Fold 8 starts at $1,899 and features a notably different design than its predecessor, adopting a shorter, wider form factor with a 5.5-inch external cover display and a 7.6-inch internal display when unfolded. For buyers seeking a more direct successor to last year’s Galaxy Z Fold 7, Samsung also released the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, which starts at $2,099 and retains a thinner, taller design philosophy alongside more premium specifications, including an 8-inch internal display, a triple rear camera system, a 5,000 milliamp-hour battery, 12 gigabytes of RAM and Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chipset running Samsung’s One UI 9 software atop Android 17.

Apple, by contrast, has not yet officially confirmed the existence, name, specifications or pricing of its first foldable iPhone, expected to debut at the company’s Sept. 9 media event alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max. Based on leaks and analyst reporting, the device is widely expected to carry the “iPhone Ultra” branding, though some outlets have also referred to it as the “iPhone Fold.”

On pricing, multiple research firms have converged on broadly similar, though not identical, projections for Apple’s device. Research firm IDC has projected an average selling price of approximately $2,550 for the foldable iPhone, with higher-storage configurations potentially reaching $3,000. Taiwanese research firm TrendForce has separately estimated a U.S. starting price between $2,099 and $2,299, with top-tier storage configurations similarly capable of exceeding the $3,000 mark. Either projection would place Apple’s foldable well above the pricing of Samsung’s standard Galaxy Z Fold 8, and roughly in line with, or somewhat above, the Z Fold 8 Ultra’s $2,099 starting price.

On design and display size, leaked specifications point to Apple’s foldable featuring a 7.8-inch inner display alongside a 5.5-inch external cover display, dimensions broadly comparable to Samsung’s standard Galaxy Z Fold 8, which offers a 7.6-inch inner display and matching 5.5-inch cover screen. Where the two devices are expected to diverge more significantly is in biometric authentication: Apple’s foldable is rumored to abandon Face ID in favor of Touch ID, reportedly due to space constraints created by the foldable design, a notable departure from the Face ID system used across the rest of Apple’s current iPhone lineup. Samsung’s Z Fold 8 devices, by comparison, continue to rely on a combination of fingerprint and facial recognition options consistent with the broader Galaxy lineup.

On processing hardware, Apple’s foldable is expected to include the company’s new A20 chip alongside its in-house C2 modem, aligning it technically with the broader iPhone 18 generation despite its distinct form factor. Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra runs on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5, a chipset built specifically for Android’s current generation of flagship devices, while the standard Z Fold 8 is expected to use comparable, if not identical, silicon given its release alongside the Ultra variant.

Software represents another significant point of differentiation for buyers to weigh. Samsung’s foldables run Android 17 with the company’s One UI 9 software layered on top, offering deep multitasking features, an S Pen-compatible design in some configurations, and Samsung’s own suite of productivity tools optimized for the larger internal display. Apple’s foldable would run iOS, giving buyers access to Apple’s ecosystem of apps, services and cross-device integration with other Apple products such as the Mac, iPad and Apple Watch, a consideration that often weighs heavily for consumers already invested in one company’s broader hardware and software ecosystem.

Given that Apple’s device remains unreleased and unconfirmed in nearly every technical respect beyond leaked reporting, a definitive head-to-head buying recommendation is premature at this stage. Consumers who need a foldable device today, or who are deeply invested in Google’s Android ecosystem, have a confirmed, available option in Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8 lineup, which offers a choice between the more compact, wide-format standard model and the taller, more premium Ultra variant. Buyers committed to Apple’s iOS ecosystem, or those willing to wait for additional details and independent reviews, will need to wait until after Apple’s Sept. 9 event, and likely several additional weeks beyond that for hands-on reviews, before a fully informed comparison becomes possible.

Cost remains a significant consideration regardless of which ecosystem a buyer prefers. Even under the most conservative pricing estimates currently circulating, Apple’s foldable iPhone is expected to launch at a price point matching or exceeding Samsung’s most expensive current foldable option, the Z Fold 8 Ultra, and could climb considerably higher for buyers seeking maximum storage configurations. That pricing structure suggests Apple’s entry into the foldable category will function as an ultra-premium flagship offering rather than a direct, budget-competitive alternative to Samsung’s existing lineup.

For now, prospective buyers face a choice between a proven, already-shipping foldable device from Samsung with a well-established software ecosystem built around Android, and an unreleased, rumored Apple device that, based on current leaks, appears likely to command an even steeper price premium once it becomes available. Those prioritizing certainty and immediate availability may find the Galaxy Z Fold 8 the more practical choice today, while those deeply committed to Apple’s ecosystem, or simply curious about the company’s first entry into the foldable category, will need to wait for confirmed details following the Sept. 9 unveiling before making a final purchasing decision.

Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson has blamed flight price rises on “foolish leaders” starting wars, in a thinly veiled reference to the US-Israel conflict with Iran.

Middle East tensions have choked the production and transportation of millions of barrels of oil, causing a surge in the price of car and jet fuels, which are made from oil.

In May, Virgin Atlantic added a fuel surcharge to ticket prices in response.

US President Donald Trump has repeatedly defended the conflict as necessary for peace and security long-term.

However, Sir Richard said there was “no need” for the war.

“The Iran conflict was completely unnecessary. There was a nuclear agreement between Iran and the rest of the world that had been negotiated by President Obama and a lot of European people.

“It was working, so there was no need to rip it up… And this war has just resulted in much higher oil prices all over the world. And inflation has been one of the consequences.”

The BBC has contacted the White House for comment.

The European benchmark jet fuel price had been hovering around $800 (£590) a tonne but spiked following the outbreak of the Iran war, reaching a peak of over $1,800 in April. It has since dropped to around $1,450.

Virgin Atlantic’s chief executive, Corneel Koster, told the BBC that for “this level of fuel price” fuel surcharges were “absolutely required”, adding that it’s “hard to be optimistic at this moment about the situation in the Middle East”.

The surcharge Virgin introduced added £50 to an economy class fare, £180 to premium and £360 to business class.

CEUTA, Spain — A baby dolphin died this week after a group of migrants pulled it from the sea and struck it on the head with a stick at a beach in the Spanish North African enclave of Ceuta, according to local reporting, prompting a formal criminal complaint from an environmental group and widespread public outrage after video of the incident circulated online.

The incident occurred Wednesday afternoon at Trampolin beach, according to local newspaper El Faro de Ceuta, which said a group of migrants noticed the young bottlenose dolphin swimming close to shore and took advantage of its proximity to pull it out of the water. Once the animal was on land, one member of the group struck it on the head with a stick, according to the outlet’s reporting. The blow left the dolphin severely injured and, based on subsequent observations, ultimately proved fatal.

A cleaning worker employed by the company Ecoservicios witnessed the incident while working in the area and warned the group to stop handling the animal, telling them they should instead call emergency services to have the dolphin properly collected. According to accounts of the episode, the group then attempted to return the calf to the sea, but the animal already appeared to be dead by that point.

Video of the incident, verified by El Faro de Ceuta, showed one of the migrants carrying the dolphin away from the shoreline toward a nearby breakwater area, described in some accounts as carrying the animal “like a trophy.” Those who filmed the initial footage lost sight of the group once they moved behind the breakwater blocks, leaving the immediate aftermath of the incident unclear until additional footage and details later emerged.

DAUBMA, a Spanish environmental advocacy group focused on urban forestry, biodiversity and environmental protection, filed a formal complaint with Spain’s Guardia Civil on Thursday over what it described as the animal’s violent death. In a statement, the organization said it had submitted photographs, videos and social media posts to investigators documenting the sequence of events, which the group said showed the dolphin arriving alive and disoriented at the shore before being pulled from the water and attacked by several individuals.

Dolphins are classified as strictly protected species under regulations in effect throughout the European Union, meaning that injuring or killing one of the animals can carry significant criminal consequences under Spanish and European law. A petition subsequently launched on Change.org calling for those responsible to be identified stated that the incident could not go unpunished, emphasizing that mistreatment of protected marine species constitutes a serious criminal offense under applicable law.

The dolphin incident was not an isolated case of wildlife mishandling reported in Ceuta that same day. Separately on Wednesday, workers with Ecoservicios intervened near a reservoir in the city after observing a migrant who had captured a goose, apparently intending to hunt or capture it for food. A bystander who witnessed that incident reportedly confronted the individual and attempted to detain him until authorities arrived.

Both incidents unfolded against the backdrop of an ongoing migration crisis that has significantly affected Ceuta in recent weeks. The Spanish enclave, located on Africa’s northern coast and bordering Morocco, experienced a large-scale arrival of migrants in late July, with local reporting describing thousands of people entering the territory over a short period. That influx has placed substantial strain on the city’s infrastructure and public services, and has coincided with a series of reported incidents affecting local wildlife, according to accounts from El Faro de Ceuta, which noted the dolphin case adds to a pattern of impacts on Ceuta’s natural surroundings tied to the scale of the recent arrivals, ranging from disturbances to limpets and birds to the dolphin calf’s death.

Trampolin beach, the site of the dolphin incident, has itself become a focal point of the broader crisis in Ceuta in recent weeks. Local authorities cleared an encampment of migrants from the beach on Aug. 20, relocating residents to a separate site in the Loma Colmenar neighborhood, where local reporting has described ongoing tensions, including reports of fights, thefts and overcrowding among the more than 700 people housed in tents at the site.

Wildlife and environmental authorities in Spain have repeatedly emphasized that members of the public who encounter an injured, disoriented or seemingly deceased marine animal should avoid touching or attempting to move it themselves, and should instead immediately contact the appropriate emergency or wildlife recovery services. Both the dolphin case and the separate goose incident, officials and advocacy groups noted, illustrate the risks associated with untrained individuals directly handling wild animals, regardless of the animal’s apparent condition.

Spanish national politicians and commentators have seized on the incident amid broader public debate over migration policy in the country, with the episode circulating widely on social media alongside commentary from figures across the political spectrum. The footage has drawn particular attention given its timing amid heightened scrutiny of migration issues in Ceuta and broader debate within Spain over how the government has managed the recent influx of arrivals to the territory.

As of this report, Spanish authorities had not announced whether any suspects had been identified or whether formal charges would be filed in connection with the dolphin’s death, though DAUBMA’s formal complaint to the Guardia Civil is expected to prompt further investigation into the incident. Local environmental officials in Ceuta have not issued an additional public statement beyond the initial reporting from El Faro de Ceuta and the subsequent circulation of verified video footage documenting the events at Trampolin beach.

Sebi has cleared three IPOs of Cosmic PV Power, Monomark Engineering and RKB Global, along with the long-awaited public offer plan of the National Stock Exchange. Sebi’s issuance of observations is a key regulatory step that allows a company to move ahead with its public issue process.

Cosmic PV Power IPO

Cosmic PV Power has received Sebi observations for its proposed Rs 640 crore IPO. The company had filed its draft papers with the regulator in March this year. The issue comprises a fresh issue of shares worth up to Rs 540 crore and an offer for sale of up to Rs 100 crore by selling shareholders. The company plans to use the fresh issue proceeds mainly for setting up a planned manufacturing facility in Narmadapuram, Madhya Pradesh, and for general corporate purposes.

Cosmic PV Power manufactures solar photovoltaic modules and is among the fastest-growing solar PV module makers in India, based on revenue CAGR of 125.8% between FY23 and FY25, according to the Care Report cited by the company. It operates across three verticals: solar PV module manufacturing, EPC services and aluminium frame manufacturing.

Also Read: Mega NSE IPO coming as Sebi approves Rs 30,000 crore public offer

The company is also certified under the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy’s Approved List of Module Manufacturers List-I, with an enlisted capacity of 1.30 GW as of September 30, 2025. This allows it to supply solar modules for government and government-assisted renewable energy projects where ALMM-I sourcing is required.
Monomark Engineering IPO
Monomark Engineering has also received Sebi clearance for its proposed public issue. The IPO will be a fresh issue of 2.7 crore shares.

Monomark Engineering is engaged in industrial operations and maintenance services, metal fabrication solutions and industrial project execution. It serves industrial and infrastructure clients across sectors such as metals, cement, ports, engineering and original equipment manufacturers.

RKB Global IPO

RKB Global has also received Sebi observations for its IPO. The proposed offer comprises up to 1.46 crore equity shares of face value Rs 10 each. This includes a fresh issue of up to 1.26 crore shares and an offer for sale of up to 20.2 lakh shares by selling shareholders.

The latest approvals come at a time when India’s IPO market is seeing a sharp revival after a slow first half of 2026. The second half has seen issuers returning to the market as investor sentiment improved and recent listings delivered stronger returns.

(Disclaimer: Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of Economic Times)

LOS ANGELES — Former Los Angeles Lakers star Derek Fisher believes the franchise is uniquely positioned to avoid the dramatic decline that has historically followed LeBron James’ departure from a team, arguing that the presence of Luka Doncic gives the Lakers a level of stability James’ previous teams lacked once he moved on.

James informed the Lakers this summer that he would not be returning for the 2026-27 season, ending an eight-season run with the franchise that included one NBA championship. James subsequently signed a near-minimum, two-year contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, where he will join Joel Embiid, Jaylen Brown and Tyrese Maxey as he continues pursuing another title in what will be his 23rd NBA season and fourth different franchise.

Speaking on 97.1 The Fan LA, Fisher, a five-time NBA champion during his own playing career with the Lakers, acknowledged James’ well-documented history of leaving teams in difficult positions after his departures, but argued the current Lakers roster is fundamentally different from those situations given Doncic’s presence.

“You think about the few organizations where LeBron has been, you tell me where their record has gotten dramatically better after he left,” Fisher said. “So it’s not going to fall off that much because Luka is there.”

Fisher expanded on why he views the Lakers’ current backcourt and frontcourt pieces as sufficient to sustain competitive basketball in James’ absence, pointing specifically to the combination of Doncic, Austin Reaves and center Walker Kessler.

“I think Luka and Austin Reaves are basically an All-Star backcourt that you can roll out every night, and then Walker Kessler is a young developing almost All-Star-ish type of big in terms of his elite defense and rebounding,” Fisher said. “So I think you have a chance … 45 to 50 wins, a lot of things are going to have to go right, but it feels fair to me.”

The Lakers finished last season 53-29, good for fourth place in the Western Conference, with James still on the roster for the full campaign. The team was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs, extending a stretch of postseason disappointment that had already begun to shape questions about the roster’s construction even before James’ eventual departure.

Doncic, who joined the Lakers in a blockbuster trade from the Dallas Mavericks last year, has continued building his long-term future with the franchise since arriving in Los Angeles. He signed a three-year, $165 million maximum contract extension with the Lakers, committing to the organization through 2028 and bypassing the opportunity to test free agency. Doncic averaged 28.2 points, 8.2 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game last season while playing alongside James for the bulk of the year.

The Lakers have also moved to lock up other key pieces of their roster this offseason as they transition into the post-James era. Austin Reaves signed a four-year, $185 million maximum contract extension, cementing his role as a co-star alongside Doncic in the Lakers’ backcourt. General manager Rob Pelinka has also worked to reshape the frontcourt, headlined by a four-year, $130 million deal for center Walker Kessler, addressing a position that had been viewed as a relative weakness for the team in recent seasons.

Fisher’s assessment stands in contrast to the pattern that has often followed James’ departures from previous teams throughout his career. The four-time NBA champion has left multiple franchises over the years, including two separate stints with the Cleveland Cavaliers and a run with the Miami Heat, with several of those teams experiencing significant on-court decline in the immediate aftermath of his exit. Fisher’s argument hinges specifically on the idea that Doncic represents a genuine, already-established franchise centerpiece capable of anchoring an elite offense in his own right, a luxury James’ prior teams typically did not have readily available once he moved on.

Over his eight seasons with the Lakers, James averaged 25.9 points, 7.9 assists and 7.7 rebounds across 479 games with the franchise, according to statistics compiled by StatMuse, numbers that reflect his continued elite-level production even in the later stages of his tenure with the team.

Beyond Fisher’s public comments, other former Lakers figures have offered mixed assessments of the team’s outlook heading into the new season. Former Lakers forward Trevor Ariza has expressed skepticism about whether the current roster has fully assembled a championship-caliber group around Doncic, suggesting that questions remain about the depth and overall competitiveness of the roster beyond its top-tier talent. Doncic himself has struck a positive tone following the team’s first mini-camp with its revamped roster, expressing optimism about the direction of the team heading into the 2026-27 campaign despite acknowledging there remains significant work ahead.

The Lakers’ transition away from James also arrives amid broader organizational change for the franchise, with ownership undergoing a significant transition this year alongside the team’s on-court roster overhaul, a combination some analysts have noted could complicate the club’s ability to execute a smooth restructuring of its front office and broader franchise philosophy during a pivotal offseason.

As the Lakers prepare to open the 2026-27 season without James for the first time in nearly a decade, Fisher’s comments reflect a broader debate among former players, analysts and fans over how much the franchise’s fortunes will hinge on Doncic’s ability to replicate, or even exceed, the level of production and leadership James provided during his eight seasons with the team. With Doncic now under contract through 2028 and the Lakers having committed significant long-term resources to both Reaves and Kessler this offseason, the coming season is widely expected to serve as an early test of whether the front office’s bet on a Doncic-centered core can sustain the level of competitiveness the Lakers maintained throughout James’ tenure with the franchise.

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