Luka Doncic being a member of the Los Angeles Lakers via trade still feels like we're all part of some NBA 2K simulation, but alas, this is real life, and Doncic is looking to lead the Lakers to the promised land alongside LeBron James. And what better way for Doncic to integrate himself into the Lakers lineup than by starting off his Purple and Gold career with two games against the rebuilding Utah Jazz.

Doncic didn't even need to do much in his debut for the Lakers as they took care of business quite easily on Monday night. But in a rematch, this time in Salt Lake City, Doncic felt the need to go deep into his bag of tricks, showing the world yet again everything he's capable of.

After driving against Isaiah Collier and dislodging him, Doncic drew the help defense of John Collins from the strong-side corner. The Lakers star then faked him out with a nasty behind-the-back before throwing an over-the-shoulder pass to Rui Hachimura, who nailed a corner triple right over a panicked Collins who was closing out.

Doncic has always been capable of this kind of wizardry, so there's no surprise whatsoever that he can pull off trickery like this. This carefree style of play has made him one of the most entertaining players to watch ever since he entered the league in 2018, and now, the Lakers have the benefit of having him on the roster.

Alas, the Lakers find themselves locked into a tough game against the Jazz on the road. At the time of writing, they are trailing by 16, 85-69, with over half of the third quarter already gone.

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Luka Doncic is the Lakers' future

Lakers guard Luka Doncic (77) passes
© Chris Nicoll-Imagn Images

Lakers fans better get used to the sight of seeing Luka Doncic perform eye-popping feats on the hardwood; while Doncic is only under contract until the end of the 2026-27 season, there is no indication that he's going to be looking for greener pastures. The Purple and Gold have their franchise cornerstone for the post-LeBron James era.

But as soon as this year, the Lakers can definitely contend for a championship. The duo of James and Doncic should put the fear of a higher being into the hearts of their opponents, and all they need is role players to pop off on the most opportune times at the grand postseason stage.