The trade that sent Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers made an obvious and understandable emotional impact on the 26-year-old superstar. Doncic made it known he planned to spend his career with the Mavericks before the trade that shook the NBA landscape.
However, after wrapping up his first stretch as a member of the Lakers, it appears Doncic’s mindset has shifted, and his feelings on the trade are in the rearview mirror. Most importantly, that change began before he signed a three-year, $165 million maximum contract extension with the Lakers.
Doncic, along with fellow star LeBron James, knows what the Lakers need to be legitimate title contenders. And as ESPN’s Dave McMenamin revealed, the five-time All-NBA First Team guard “displayed urgency” in his offseason fitness regimen.
Even more interesting, Doncic also took an active role in recruiting two noteworthy offseason signings for the Lakers—Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart, per McMenamin.
Doncic might have made a multiyear commitment to the Lakers, but he expects to be in contention every year. Doncic displayed his urgency through his offseason fitness regimen and taking a role in recruiting both Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart to L.A.” McMenamin explained.
The team’s decision to add the former Portland Trail Blazers center and longtime Boston Celtics guard, who spent much of the last two seasons with the Memphis Grizzlies, was hyper-focused on addressing glaring holes in the Lakers roster.
While Ayton has faced scrutiny at times in his NBA career, the former No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA draft, the same year Doncic was selected No. 3, has undeniable talent. He also has the potential to thrive alongside Doncic and James.
Ayton now finds himself in a position where he’ll have ample space to work with on the floor alongside the Lakers’ two stars and Austin Reaves. It’s also safe to assume that Doncic and James could be key to helping unlock even more upside for the 27-year-old.
As for Smart, the beloved glue guy for the Celtics over his nine seasons in Boston, he brings something different to the Lakers. Some may argue that Smart’s defensive tenacity and ability to do a bit of everything were as pressing a need for the team as any other.
Smart was named NBA Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 and has made the NBA’s All-Defensive First Team on three occasions (2019, 2020 and 2022).
While Smart has rarely been tasked with providing a score-first mentality, his well-rounded skillset is a perfect fit with the new-look Lakers. Even still, Smart did showcase his ability to find the bottom of the basket during an injury-shortened first season with the Grizzlies. Over 20 games, he averaged 14.5 points, 4.3 assists and 2.1 steals per game.
Doncic, James and the Lakers have the pieces, partially thanks to the former’s offseason role as a recruiter. Now comes the question of whether they can mesh quickly and become legitimate championship contenders.
