With the Los Angeles Lakers preparing for the 2025-26 season, there will no doubt be a ton of expectations on the team led by stars LeBron James and Luka Doncic, still reeling from the surprising blockbuster trade from last season. When Doncic was traded to the Lakers from the Dallas Mavericks, it caught everyone in shock, especially the star himself, as he spoke about it recently.
In the latest article from The Wall Street Journal featuring Doncic, titled “Revenge Tour,” Doncic talks about the emotions he felt when the deal was made that sent him to Los Angeles and Anthony Davis to Dallas. He would admit it was a “lot of shock” among other feelings, but described it later as a “fresh start.”
“I didn’t know how to react, how to act, what to say. It was a lot of shock,” Doncic said. “I felt Dallas was my home. I had many friends there. The fans always supported me. I didn’t want to upset Dallas fans. And I didn’t want to upset Laker fans.”
Spending seven seasons with Dallas, creating a bunch of memories on the court and settling in to the city as a new home, one could understand how jarring that could be for the trade to happen that way. Despite being acclimated to his new team in Los Angeles, he would even admit that he doesn't know if he will “have closure or not.”
“I think it will always be strange,” Doncic said. “I don’t know if someday I will have closure or not. For sure, it will always be weird.”
Lakers' LeBron James on Luka Doncic being a “savant”
As there are rumors surrounding the Lakers and James, there is no denying the determination to win one more title at 40 years old (turning 41 in December). Having Doncic alongside him gives him a great chance, calling him a “big-time savant of the game,” but even more importantly, calling him a ” great f****** guy.”
“Big-time savant of the game,” James continued. “I always use IQ as a measuring point in basketball—guys who can think the game. There are so many guys in our league who can play the game, but to be able to think the game as well puts you at another level.”
Los Angeles looks to further improve after finishing 50-32, putting them third in the Western Conference. They were disappointingly eliminated in the first round of the NBA Playoffs by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
