By any metric, Luka Doncic is one of the best players in the NBA. The 25-year-old has already accomplished so much in his career, including winning the scoring title and leading his Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals last year. Besides being such a dynamic player, Luka is beloved in the city of Dallas, which is why it was so utterly shocking that he was traded earlier this month.
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There’s never been a trade like the one that sent Luka to the Los Angeles Lakers. Everyone around the NBA needed time to collect their thoughts on this deal because it was so unexpected, but once everyone had a chance to calm down, they generally agreed that the Lakers got one over on the Mavs.
Luka is six years younger than Anthony Davis, the primary return for him in the deal, and despite Dallas seeming to be concerned about his fitness level, he’s been much healthier than Davis throughout his career.
Big win for the Lakers, right? Not necessarily. Now that the initial shine has worn off of the trade, let’s examine whether it will actually be good for the Lakers long-term.
Reasons why the Luka trade might not work for the Lakers
Dallas’ concern over Luka’s commitment to staying in shape may be overblown, but it’s not nothing. Luka reportedly got up to 270 pounds, and it’s not like he’s a center. He has the ball in his hands all the time. That’s a lot of weight to carry for someone with such a high usage rate.
Luka’s ball dominance is another reason why the trade could end up a failure. LeBron James and Austin Reaves are already on the team, and as the old saying goes, they can’t all have the ball at the same time.
It’s great to have playmakers, but will Luka and LeBron be able to peacefully co-exist when both need the ball so much?
There’s also the old axiom that if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The Lakers were playing great basketball before the Luka trade. With him on the court, they’re 1-2 against the Jazz and Hornets, two of the worst teams in the league. They also don’t have a center after trading Davis away, so the roster construction is off.
Luka sat last night and LeBron and Reaves combined for 72 points to beat an up-and-coming Blazers team in Portland. Obviously, he’s rusty as he works his way back from his calf injury, but at what point should JJ Redick be concerned that he’s not meshing well with his new teammates?
The fact that nobody knew about this trade except the GMs and owners also doesn’t bode well for its long-term success.
Luka obviously thought of Dallas as home, and he spoke about his love for the city even in his introductory press conference with L.A. His contract runs through the end of next season, then he has a player option.
What if he opts out and either returns to Dallas or goes elsewhere? Hollywood isn’t for everyone, and off the court, Luka doesn’t seem to be the type to love the trappings of celebrity. Stars don’t tend to leave Los Angeles willingly, but there’s a first time for everything.
Reasons why the Luka Doncic trade will work for the Lakers
Now that we’ve painted the doom and gloom picture, let’s look at why the Luka trade will end up being a success. We’ll start with the obvious. Luka and LeBron are two of the highest-IQ players in the league. Pairing them together can only be a good thing because they think about the game on another level.
Trading for Luka Doncic isn’t just about trying to win now. It’s about setting a path forward for the future. Before the deal, that future was looking dicey. LeBron is 40, and AD isn’t getting any younger.
There was a very real possibility that LeBron would retire in a year or two, Davis would walk, and the Lakers would bottom out. With Luka on board, there’s no chance of that happening now. His presence immediately ushers in a new era.
Playing for JJ Redick can only be a good thing for Luka. The two are former teammates and know each other well, so if there’s someone who knows how to put him in the best position to succeed, it’s Redick.
Luka has taken an average team to the conference finals in 2022. Once Dallas added Kyrie Irving and some good young players, he took them one step further, reaching the Finals last year. It’s an eerily similar situation to LeBron, who dragged many undermanned Cavs teams to the Finals but didn’t win one until he had Kyrie there to help him.
Other than needing a stronger center, the Lakers have a great roster around Luka. The Doncic-James-Reaves trio is going to find open shots for everyone, and with guys like Dorian Finney-Smith and Dalton Knecht around them, they have the guys to knock those shots down.
Luka’s on-court gravity will open things up more for LeBron and Reaves, and vice-versa. In short, the Lakers’ offense is going to be impossible to stop once Luka gets acclimated.
Verdict: After a brief adjustment period, the Lakers will be fine with Doncic and James
Luka’s rusty play is nothing to worry about, as he’s never dealt with a long-term injury like this in his career. He’ll be fine, and the Lakers are in a good enough spot in the standings that they can afford to bring him along slowly.
It’s fair to worry about whether the Luka Doncic trade will work or not, but at the end of the day, talent wins out. Luka is supremely talented and super competitive, and it’s almost impossible to imagine that the Lakers will be anything short of major contenders for the foreseeable future.
