Lakers' Stance on Potentially Trading Luka Doncic Revealed by NBA Analyst
The Dallas Mavericks shocked the sports world in February when they traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers.
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The blockbuster trade came out of nowhere, as no one knew Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison no longer wanted to build around Doncic, the 26-year-old superstar who has already made five All-NBA First Teams.
Doncic averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists with the Lakers in the regular season after the Mavericks traded him. The future Hall of Famer then put up 30.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game in the 2025 playoffs.
However, despite having Doncic and NBA legend LeBron James, the Lakers lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of this year's playoffs in five games.
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) looks on during a game.Jesse Johnson-Imagn Images
Los Angeles may need to make some trades this offseason to become a true title contender. However, don't expect Doncic to be traded, writes Grant Hughes of Bleacher Report.
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"In Doncic, the Lakers have a bridge to their post-James era. He'll be the superstar cornerstone upon which the franchise's next decade is built," Hughes wrote. "The only way that'll change is if Harrison's justification for moving Doncic this past February — poor conditioning and shoddy defense — reaches a point where Los Angeles winds up with the same concerns.
"Of course, if you view the trade from Dallas to L.A. as a wake-up call for Doncic, it's pretty hard to imagine his bad habits continuing."
Los Angeles can sign Doncic to a four-year, $229 million contract starting on Aug. 2. Doncic will make $46 million next season. He has a player option worth $48.9 million for the 2026-27 season.
Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka told local reporters during his end-of-season press conference that he's looking forward to building around Doncic for the foreseeable future.
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"It's incredibly exciting to have the promise of him in our next decade of Laker basketball with being able to build a team around him and him being at the center of our franchise," Pelinka said. "Our partnership with him has been incredible. We're appreciative and grateful and can't wait to get to the work, really starting today, of getting ready for next year."
Related: Former LeBron James Teammate Delivers Verdict on GOAT Debate With Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 2, 2025, where it first appeared.
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