It still doesn’t feel real, but Luka Doncic is officially a Los Angeles Lakers player. After a stunning trade that sent shockwaves throughout the NBA, Doncic leaves the Dallas Mavericks for California. On Tuesday, he will be unveiled as a new Lakers star at an introductory press conference.
Fans still can’t believe what went down and how it happened when it comes to the Doncic trade. Anthony Davis is an outstanding player in his own right, but Doncic is much younger and is considered by just about everyone to be a Top 5 player in the league, even if his defense leaves a lot to be desired.
According to reports that have surfaced, Mavericks GM Nico Harrison wasn’t thrilled with Doncic’s constant conditioning issues. But by all accounts, the GM went rogue on this decision.
Will Luka Doncic and LeBron James be able to co-exist?
There’s still a level of uncertainty about how Doncic will fit with the current Lakers roster. Both him and LeBron James are primarily ball-handlers, so it could take a while for them to mesh, but it has the potential to be an unstoppable duo.
The Lakers’ move to acquire Doncic was clearly done with an eye on the future, though. With James now 40 years old, the franchise has essentially given itself a “life after LeBron“.
It’s a slight admission by the Lakers front office that they don’t have all the necessary pieces to win a championship this season, but there’s still time for more moves to be made.