When the Los Angeles Lakers traded for Luka Doncic during the season, it wasn’t so that he could be a two-year rental before he could be a free agent. The team gave up a lot to get him and wanted to build the franchise around him.
However, Doncic was so shellshocked after the Dallas Mavericks traded him that there were questions about whether not not he wanted Los Angeles to be his long-term home. Any questions about his Lakers future were answered when he recently signed a three-year contract extension with the team.
He wanted to spend his whole career with the Mavericks, but it appears that loyalty has transferred to the Lakers. Doncic was clearly emotional about leaving Dallas following the trade and wasn’t shy about it.
He may not have fully emotionally recovered during the season. According to his manager, Lara Beth Seager, Doncic has gotten over the Mavericks and is focused on the Lakers.
“He’s moved on,” she told The Athletic.
Doncic has no choice but to move on, but it sounds like he’s finally fully locked in on the Lakers going forward.
Doncic Didn’t Question Lakers Future
There was some speculation this offseason that Doncic might want to keep his options open for when he can be a free agent in 2027, but according to Seager, the star guard never questioned whether or not he wanted to stay in Los Angeles.
“I think it was always known that, when Luka was traded here, it’s, ‘He’s here now,’” Seager said. “He wants to win where he is, and it’s important that he wins and that we’re working together with the team so we’re not waiting. His mindset has never been to hop around. His mindset is to win championships.
“His mindset is to build where he is and to work together. And as long as he’s signed with a team, it’s a marriage and you treat it like a marriage. And marriages have hard times and good times, but you’re loyal and you’re faithful to each other through it all. And that’s just who Luka is. I don’t think he ever thought. ‘I’m not signing my extension.’”
Doncic Wants to Win in LA
Doncic was able to lead the Mavericks to the NBA Finals, but wasn’t able to win a championship. With the Lakers, there’s going to be more pressure to win not just one, but multiple championships.
The Lakers got knocked out of the playoffs in the first round last season, which was a major disappointment for the franchise. Seager believes that Doncic is eager to prove to the fan base that he’s the right guy to lead them to more wins.
“He’s only looking forward. And he’s here. He wants to get the best players here. He wants to win, and he knows it starts with him,” Seager said. “And I think that’s what he proved this offseason. ‘OK, everyone wants to say or people think that they know me or I’m not a leader or I’m this way, or I’m that way, I don’t care. They can think and say whatever they want.
“I’m gonna show them who I am.’”
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