The Los Angeles Lakers put the doubts about Luka Doncic to rest rather quickly. Many believed that Doncic didn’t want to be in LA after joining the team in February. But, earlier this month, Luka Magic committed to a three-year/$165 million deal with the Lakers, becoming the new face of the iconic Lakers franchise.
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LeBron James is 40, and his future in LA is up in the air. Plus, with new arrivals like DeAndre Ayton and Doncic’s recruit, Marcus Smart, it’s clear that the Slovenian is the centerpiece of the rebuild. At least that’s the intent.
With Doncic leading, the Lakers can reestablish themselves as a force to be reckoned with in the West. However, Tim Bontemps feels that their job isn’t done yet. He wants the Lakers to do what the Dallas Mavericks did.
“Now, if you’re gonna look at how you are going to build around Luka Doncic, go look at what Dallas did,” Bontemps said on ESPN.
Before General Manager Nico Harrison’s brave move to send 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 with results. The greatest Maverick since Dirk Nowitzki, he took them to the Finals in 2023-24. So, LA has a blueprint to follow.
Bontemps pointed out that the Lakers always aim for the title. And to do that, there are a few more puzzles they have to solve.
“You had a bunch of big, two-way wings, [and] 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 said. However, there’s a catch.
Bontemps noted how almost every franchise is looking for big, two-way wings who can shoot. With limited draft picks, it won’t be easy for the Lakers to get someone good.
The Austin Reaves situation is also casting a doubt over the Lakers’ plan for 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? We do not know that 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’s extension, 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.
