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The Los Angeles Lakers are entering the Luka Doncic era, as LeBron James will no longer be playing for the organization for the first time in a decade. Doncic has done everything possible to improve his conditioning and arrive at the upcoming season in the best shape possible.
It was noticeable last season that Doncic had already made improvements, but he still had some work to do to become fully conditioned. This year, Dirk Nowitzki has raved about Doncic’s physique.
“The comments came as Doncic and his Lakers teammates traveled to his native Slovenia for a bonding trip and training camp in Ljubljana, giving fans an early look at the guard's conditioning ahead of a pivotal year. Doncic has drawn buzz as a potential MVP candidate, and Nowitzki clearly believes his protege is positioned for a big season,” ClutchPoints’ Miguel La Torre wrote.
The only concerning aspect of Doncic's situation for the Lakers is that he is not locked up for the long term. There is always a possibility that he could eventually want out if things do not go according to plan in Los Angeles.
“[Nikola Jokic] can profess his loyalty to the [Denver] Nuggets, there's still going to be teams that are positioning themselves and monitoring that. ... It's the same thing with Luka. He's done nothing but express optimism and excitement ... but it's not that long-term of an extension," ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said.
For now, this is not something the Lakers need to worry about. However, if things go badly in Los Angeles, Lake Show Life’s Colin Keane believes the Denver Nuggets could potentially make a move for Doncic.
“Oh baby. A Doncic-Nikola Jokic duo is kind of exactly what the basketball gods want to see, isn't it? This would turn the Nuggets right back into frontrunners in the West, rejuvenating Jokic's championship prospects at a time when it's badly needed. We already know that Doncic and Jokic are good friends. The chemistry would be electric. This would be the pinnacle of Europe's powerful influence on the NBA ... another narrative that Adam Silver would salivate at,” Keane wrote.
This would be a league-altering deal, as pairing Doncic and Jokic would be almost impossible to defend. With those two on the same court, the entire floor would open up because of their ability to score, create for teammates and stretch a defense in different ways. The two already have a strong friendship, so imagining that relationship translating to the court is exciting.
Doncic has made $198 million throughout his career. The former Western Conference Finals MVP has lived up to the hype that surrounded him coming out of the draft. He is a generational talent and likely a future Hall of Famer. Jokic is also a future Hall of Famer, which is why putting the two together could create one of the most talented duos the NBA has ever seen.
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