The Los Angeles Lakers have a new superstar to build around for years to come as they pulled off one of the more shocking trades in NBA history, acquiring Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks.
It obviously came at a cost as the Lakers had to give up Anthony Davis, Max Christie, Jalen Hood-Schifino, a 2029 first-round pick and 2025 second-round pick to complete the trade. That’s a deal you do every time though in order to bring in a 25-year-old superstar that can lead the franchise into its next era.
Doncic is already a five-time All-Star and five-time First Team All-NBA nominee and is coming off his first NBA Finals appearance last season. He has dealt with calf issues this season, but Doncic’s best years are still ahead of him and they well come as a member of the Lakers.
Putting on that purple and gold is always special and when Doncic does it for the first time, he will be wearing his familiar No. 77 jersey:
No. 77 has arrived.
New wallpapers for LA's newest star 📲 pic.twitter.com/BdJZLUtNt0
— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) February 2, 2025
Doncic becomes the first player in Lakers history to wear the jersey number 77. It’s the same number he wore in Dallas and one he chosen because No. 7, which he wore with Real Madrid, was taken. Gabe Vincent currently wears 7 for the Lakers, so Doncic decided to stick with 77 when joining his new team.
No. 77 Doncic Lakers jerseys are already available for purchase at the NBA Store, and there’s no doubt they will be selling a lot of them.
With both Doncic and LeBron James on the roster, the Lakers have two of the most popular players in the league and two of the greatest from their respective eras.
Rob Pelinka welcomes Luka Doncic to Lakers
Trading for Luka Doncic was a move Rob Pelinka and the Lakers had to made for the future of the franchise, even if it is tough to lose the players they gave up. After the deal got across the finish line, Pelinka spoke about what Doncic will bring to the organization.
“Luka is a one-of-a-kind, young global superstar who will lead this franchise for years to come,” Pelinka said. “His killer instincts and commitment to winning championships will be a driving force for the team. We will be relentless in building a roster around the on-court vision Coach Redick has for this basketball team and there is an unwavering commitment to that work to serve our loyal and dedicated fans. We are grateful for today and look forward to what’s next.”
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