After the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the ways they rationalized their decision to do so was to accuse Doncic of allegedly being lazy and out of shape. In fact, an article in The Athletic reported that the generational superstar had “a taste for beer and hookah” and that some felt he would experience a “catastrophe in the next five years or so” that would lead to his demise.
But Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka has publicly praised Doncic’s work ethic. In fact, in an interview with Los Angeles-based Spectrum SportsNet just prior to Game 2 between the Lakers and Minnesota Timberwolves, Pelinka said that the Slovenian has been putting in work on a daily basis.
In 28 regular season games with L.A. following the trade, Doncic averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists. So far in the two games against Minnesota in the playoffs, he has had 37 and 31 points, and he missed a triple-double in Game 2 by one assist.
His arrival single-handedly restored the Lakers’ championship aspirations, which had mostly been dormant for four years. But mostly, at age 26, he has the opportunity to be the face of the iconic franchise and its next transcendent player for about a decade, which means it could have the opportunity to win multiple championships during that time.
