After a lot of anticipation, Luka Doncic finally extended his contract with the LA Lakers, signing a three-year $165 million deal.
The 17-time champions acquired Luka Doncic by trading Anthony Davis to the Dallas Mavericks in a move that is considered one of the most shocking in recent times.
While it was tough for him to move away from the city that had been his home for seven years, Doncic adapted well to life in LA.
The team crashed out in the first round of the playoffs, but there was excitement surrounding his future with the team.
Doncic put an end to all talks of him potentially having second thoughts with the Lakers by signing an extension.
He even worked on his conditioning throughout the offseason to prepare himself for the LA Lakers.
In a recent article on ESPN, Dave McMenamin revealed what Doncic told JJ Redick and Rob Pelinka while discussing the extension.
He said: “I don’t want to wait. I had a taste of the Finals. I am getting back there. So let’s do whatever we can now.”
Right after the season, Doncic was seen with Pelinka and Redick to talk about his future with the team.
He expressed how determined he was to continue with the Lakers and even discussed things like picks and assets the team had.
Doncic was a big part of all the Lakers’ moves in the offseason as they planned to build the roster according to his needs.
The five-time All-Star recruited former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart to the Lakers after he was waived by the Washington Wizards.
He has also received a lot of praise for his work in the offseason, with Tim Legler also stating that Doncic could be an MVP contender next season.
In his press conference, the former Mavericks player shared what it was like for him in the offseason.
“It was like a fresh start for me, I had a little more time to get my mind off basketball, just doing other things,” Doncic added.
He also revealed what he felt about the roster and his hopes for next season.
Doncic said: “I think we have a great team, we have whatever we need to compete for the championship.”
With LeBron James also fully committed for the season, the Lakers are certainly heading into the season as one of the teams to watch.
They have somewhat addressed their problems in the center position, but with the extension of their star player now complete, they could be in the market for a few more additions.
