By Joel Perez 
Luka Doncic is a Los Angeles Laker, and even after a couple of days to let it sink in, I’m still
stunned that it even happened. We’ve already heard the Dallas Mavericks’ President of
Basketball Operations, Nico Harrison, share his thoughts on the trade and how it all unfolded
during a press conference—sitting beside Head Coach Jason Kidd, who couldn’t have had a
worse demeanor if he tried. Even Kidd looks defeated and shocked.
The rest of the world and I are in disbelief that only the Lakers were contacted about possibly
acquiring Luka via trade. The only remotely sensible explanation for this deal would be that
Anthony Davis was the missing piece for the Mavericks, and with him on their roster, they’d
instantly become a title contender (which they already were… because they made the Finals
just last year… and… LUKA DONCIC AVERAGED THE MOST POINTS, REBOUNDS, AND
ASSISTS IN EACH SERIES HE PLAYED IN!!!). But I digress.
I’m heartbroken for Mavs fans. They just lost their franchise cornerstone—the handpicked
successor to lead this team for the next decade. Luka has been named to the All-NBA First
Team in five of his first six seasons and even dropped a 70-point game last year. Dirk Nowitzki,
the franchise legend himself, passed the torch to Luka in his final NBA season, believing he
would carry this organization for the foreseeable future, right up until retirement. And now, just
five years after Dirk retired and fresh off his first Finals appearance, he’s been shipped off to Los
Angeles to team up with none other than LeBron James.
It’s a storybook ending for the Mavs, in all honesty. It’s just sad as hell. But hey, it is what it is.
The Lakers have found their next superstar to take the reins for the next decade—possibly
longer, considering Luka is only 25, turning 26 later this month. Just… wow, man.
But alright, onto the Lakers!
This past Saturday night, just hours before the trade went public, the Lakers had a great win at
Madison Square Garden against the Knicks. They completely shut down both of New York’s
All-Stars, Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns, who were outmatched defensively and
couldn’t find a way to make an impact offensively. Josh Hart put up a triple-double, and OG
Anunoby left the game at some point due to a foot injury.
What made the game even more exciting from the Lakers’ perspective was the sheer pace they
were playing at, with LeBron leading the charge and establishing his dominance—even at age 40. Finally, it seems like the Lakers have found their identity—using their size across the lineup.
That includes guys like Dorian Finney-Smith, whom they acquired earlier this season in a trade
with the Brooklyn Nets. He’s already proven to be a valuable piece for what the Lakers want to
build moving forward.
Another potential difference-maker? Jarred Vanderbilt, who recently returned from injury. He’s
an impactful primary defender and a huge energy booster for any Lakers lineup.
I can’t say enough about Austin Reaves and the level of play he’s shown this
season—completely improving his offensive game and becoming one of the most consistent
playmakers in the league today. Of course, it helps having LeBron James on your side, guiding
you to make the right play while also taking so much attention away from his teammates,
allowing them to step up and make plays while defenders are locked in on him at all times.
AD has been out recently due to an abdominal injury, but despite that, the Lakers have
established a clear game plan that has been effective, putting them in a solid position at the fifth
seed in the Western Conference.
What’s next for the Lakers?
As for what the rest of this season holds, I’m not entirely sure what direction this team goes in,
considering they don’t have a viable big man on the roster at the moment. That, however, could
change by Thursday’s trade deadline, with plenty of bigs available on the market.
Would Deandre Ayton be worth the risk from the Portland Trail Blazers? Maybe another Blazers
big like Robert Williams? Could Nicolas Claxton from the Brooklyn Nets be a possibility? There’s
still work to be done after this trade, but one thing is certain—the Lakers have now built a
foundation for the next 10-plus years by acquiring Luka.
The Lakers were staring at a future where they’d be paying Anthony Davis $50–60 million per
year in his later seasons to lead the franchise. Instead, they now have a generational phenom in
Luka to carry this group forward.
As for LeBron? I wouldn’t be surprised if he sticks around as Luka’s running mate going into his
prime, considering the championship potential now on the horizon. Luka is an all-time talent,
and no one in their right mind would have ever imagined him wearing anything other than a
Mavericks jersey. But here we are—it’s reality. He’ll be wearing No. 77 for the Los Angeles
Lakers.
Showtime is back, ladies and gentlemen.
Rob Pelinka should win Executive of the Year for pulling off the heist of the century—maybe
even in league history.
Joel Perez 
Kevin Gonzalez