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Luka Doncic looks ahead
THE The Los Angeles Lakers The Lakers have yet to make any significant moves this offseason, having neither signed nor traded any players. With two first-round picks up for grabs, the Lakers have the assets to land a player who could help them win next season with LeBron James And Anthony Davis.
However, two first-round picks could make it difficult for the Lakers to find a third star. The Lakers also have to think about what comes after James.
Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer said on “The Mismatch” podcast that the Lakers have “their eyes set” on a player who would help them in the post-James era. He named Luka Doncic of the The Dallas Mavericks as a player they are interested in.
“And they’re clearly already thinking about it. I’ve talked on this podcast and on The Ringer about how they’re thinking about recruiting Luka in the future,” O’Connor said August 23. “We’ll see if it works. Dallas just made the Finals. Dallas looks better than ever with their supporting cast. It might not work.”
“But the Lakers, by not trading their future picks, are clearly thinking long-term at this point. They’re not going to go all-in like you might expect many teams to do with LeBron James.”
How the Lakers Could Sign Doncic
Doncic signed a five-year, $215.1 million contract that begins in the 2022-23 season. He has a player option in 2026-27, which would allow him to become a free agent if he chooses. Otherwise, he will be an unrestricted free agent in 2027-28.
The Dallas Mavericks have had success with Doncic, most recently losing in the NBA Finals last season. While it seems unlikely he’ll leave, crazier things have happened in the NBA.
The Los Angeles Lakers’ trade assets would make it unlikely that they would get a player of his caliber. Unless Doncic requests a trade, the Mavericks have no reason to trade him for just two first-round picks when other players of his caliber have been traded for much more. Even if he did request a trade, the chances of him being traded for two first-round picks seem slim.
For the Lakers to sign the 25-year-old, they would have a better opportunity to do so in free agency.
It’s unclear how much time James has left, but if it’s two more seasons, it would line up almost perfectly with Doncic’s potential free agency and James’ retirement.
Doncic would be the perfect superstar after James
The Los Angeles Lakers have arguably had more stars play for their organization than any other team in history. NBA.
Doncic, who has a strong case to be the best player in the NBA, would be the perfect player to have after James.
During the 2023-24 season, he averaged 33.9 points, 9.2 rebounds and 9.8 assists per game. He was also efficient, shooting 48.7% from the field and 38.2% from three-point range.
For an organization built on winning championships, Doncic has already proven himself to be a winner.
Replacing James will be nearly impossible because of his play and the brand he’s built, but Doncic would be one of the few players who could have that type of impact.
Jon Conahan covers the NBA and NFL for Heavy.com. Since 2019, his sports coverage has appeared on Sports Illustrated, Oddschecker, ClutchPoints, and Sportskeeda. Learn more about Jon Conahan
