Luka Doncic put on a show with Slovenia for EuroBasket, and it could be what's to come when he plays with the Los Angeles Lakers this season. It has been well known that the Lakers are building around Doncic for the present and the future, and his EuroBasket run has encouraged them even more to put talent around him to succeed, according to Dan Woike of The Athletic.
“According to team and league sources, the Lakers’ stance on roster improvements heading into this season has shifted because of the start of this new chapter together,” Woike wrote. “While the Lakers had resisted scenarios in which the team would take on contracts that lasted beyond the 2025-26 season earlier this summer, Dončić’s multi-year commitment has nudged LA’s priorities in more aggressive directions.”
The Lakers want to upgrade the roster, and it seems like they're looking for a specific archetype to pair with Doncic.
“One area the team is focused on is upgrading the wing, where it needs more two-way talent,” Woike wrote. “A player like Miami’s Andrew Wiggins, whom the Lakers weren’t interested in earlier this summer, is now a more desirable player, provided the price is right.”
With Doncic locked in for the future and his impressive play with his new physique, it seems like the Lakers are excited to see how far this team can go.
Lakers still interested in Andrew Wiggins?
The Lakers were working for a trade to acquire Andrew Wiggins during the offseason, but it never happened. It seems like they still have interest, and with Doncic here for the long haul, they'll be trying again, according to Marc Stein.
“I wouldn't have classified him as a potential purple-and-gold target before Dončić's long-term future was secured, but things are different now,” Stein wrote. “So my sense is that the Lakers would have interest if the Heat, in coming weeks or months, decide to prioritize financial flexibility and look to reduce payroll.”
Wiggins was traded to the Miami Heat last season as part of the Jimmy Butler deal that sent him to the Golden State Warriors. He was key for the Heat down the stretch of the season as they were trying to get into the playoffs. As a player who is a solid defender and can knock down shots, he would be a perfect fit next to Doncic.
