Luka Doncic didn’t ask to be traded from the Dallas Mavericks back in February. Now that he’s a Laker, however, Doncic is fully committed and has embraced what it means to wear the Purple and Gold.
“I know in talking to people around Luka Doncic over the past 72 hours, I was at that Lakers-Clippers game on Sunday, he had no intention of ever leaving Dallas,” said Shams Charania on The Pat McAfee Show. “He had just bought a new home in Dallas for a lofty, lofty price. He did not want to go anywhere. You think of a player coming from abroad. They are very committed. They are loyal. That’s how he viewed himself with the Mavericks. One team, one city, forever. I think that’s going to carry over to the Lakers. I think he’s loving his time in L.A.”
Loyalty is a rare thing in the modern NBA. In the player empowerment era, we see guys leave and change teams all the time with no remorse or regret over what they left behind. As one of the best players in the game, Doncic is highly coveted across the league but never wavered in his commitment to the Mavericks.
In truth, Luka is as loyal as it gets for an NBA superstar. When he was drafted by the Mavs in 2018, he made the team his own and never showed a hint of wanting out. Over 422 games with the Mavericks, he averaged 28.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists per game on 46.4% shooting.
Leading up to his trade from the Mavericks, there were no signs that Doncic wanted out. In fact, there were reports that he had bought a new luxury property in the city. He was also due for a massive, five-year supermax contract extension in the fall.
It was completely unexpected for the Mavericks to trade Doncic, and he never saw it coming. In his eyes, the Mavericks broke his trust and betrayed his unconditional loyalty.
Now, the trust and passion Luka had for the Mavericks he has applied to the Lakers. And although it’s only been eight games with his new team, Doncic is quickly growing to love the experience and everything that comes with it.
It also helps that the Lakers have gone out of their way to make the transition as smooth as possible. Together, JJ Redick and LeBron James have helped the team adjust to Luka’s arrival and have learned how to play around the Slovenian superstar.
The results have been amazing so far, with the Lakers at second in the West and Luka Doncic looking happier than he’s been in a long time. This trade will not only be a source of motivation for the 5x All-Star, but it will act as a fresh start from which he can forge a new legacy.
At 25 years old, Luka has all the time in the world to lead the Lakers to glory and now that the initial shock has worn off, he can finally begin to make the team his own. Unsurprisingly, Luka Doncic loves being a Laker, and being traded there may go down as the best thing for his career.
