Even though it’s been a week, it still doesn’t feel real that Luka Doncic is now with the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Dallas Mavericks shocked the league when they traded Doncic to the Lakers, setting up the storied franchise for years to come.
Doncic’s arrival creates an unprecedented situation as he now gets a chance to play alongside LeBron James, giving Los Angeles two of the best playmakers in league history.
Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle got a chance to work with Doncic in Dallas and was confident he could work well with James.
“I don’t see any world in which it doesn’t work, right? As I’ve thought about all these events of the last few days, a couple things strike me. We’re talking about two guys who really, when they simply came into the world and started playing basketball, were expected to be guys that would have statues built for them. The level of expectation on these two guys is just hard to fathom. As I was around Luka more and more, I became much more aware of the kind of pressure that must be on him. He has such charisma, ability, skill, he goes into a game and just decides how the game is going to be played. And LeBron James does the same exact thing.
“These two guys are surgeons, the way that they dissect games. They’re really both impossible to gameplan for. You have to decide how you’re willing to lose, that’s what it comes down to. This is the Lakers, a larger than life legacy franchise. So this is an amazing opportunity for Luka. And I think certainly LeBron and him have an affinity for each other that really goes back to Luka’s first year in the league. The whole thing is an amazing string of events.”
Carlisle, like Austin Reaves and Tyronn Lue, believes the fit between James and Doncic is a non-issue because of their otherworldly talents. James and Doncic are both capable of making every pass in the book, but can take over as scorers when needed which means L.A. can have an offensive engine on the floor at all times.
There might be some legitimate defensive concerns with the new-look roster, but it’s hard to imagine James and Doncic struggling to co-exist on the floor.
Photo captured of Rob Pelinka and Nico Harrison discussing Luka Doncic trade
Vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka revealed he and Nico Harrison started discussions on trading Luka Doncic at a coffee shop early in January, and a photo recently surfaced of their meeting.
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