The Los Angeles Lakers have put the Luka Doncic saga to rest rather quickly. He arrived only in February of this year, but doubts over his future had arisen, with many believing that he didn’t really want to be there. But, earlier this month, Luka Magic committed to a three-year/$165 million deal with the Lakers, establishing themselves as forces to be reckoned with in the West. That said, Tim Bontemps feels that their job isn’t done yet.
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Doncic is the new face of the iconic Lakers franchise. LeBron James is 40, and his own future in the city of LA is up in the air. Plus, with new arrivals like Deandre Ayton and Doncic’s own recruit, Marcus Smart, it’s clear that he is the centerpiece of the rebuild. At least that’s the intent, as Bontemps wants the Lakers to do what the Dallas Mavericks did.
Before General Manager Nico Harrison’s ballsy move and sent Doncic packing, the Slovenian was the man in the city of Dallas. Every decision was taken with him in mind, and Doncic paid it back tenfold. The greatest Maverick since Dirk Nowitzki, he took them to the Finals in 2023/24. So, LA has to do what Dallas once did.
Bontemps pointed out how the Lakers always aim for the title. And to do that, there are a few more puzzles they have to solve. “Now, if you’re gonna look at how you are going to build around Luka Doncic, go look at what Dallas did,” he said on ESPN.
“You had a bunch of big, two-way wings, some rim-running centers with him. That’s a formula that’s led to a lot of wins for Luka Doncic in the past.” Bontemps added. However, there’s a catch. He noted how almost every franchise is looking for big, two-way wings who can shoot. For the Lakers to get their hands on someone good, with limited draft picks, won’t be easy.
The Austin Reaves situation is also casting a doubt over the Lakers’ planning of the future. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent next season, unless the Lakers pay him somewhere around $30 million. But can he be the right number two option? That’s what we don’t know for sure.
“If you pay Austin Reaves that kind of number, you’re signing him up to be the Jalen Brunson or Kyrie Irving alongside Luka Doncic going forward, which is a big question the Lakers are gonna have to answer,” Bontemps added.
With Doncic now having signed his extension with the Lakers, the pressure is on the front office to maximize this championship window. If they play their cards right, they could have an elite team for years to come. The spotlight is firmly on Rob Pelinka and co.
