At 2:00 AM, Luka Doncic finds himself at a crossroads, looking back on a disappointing season. This season after his trade to the Los Angeles Lakers. The young star has remained candid about his heartbreak over the trade that sent him from Dallas to Los Angeles. Behind closed doors, those feelings go much further. Doncic’s already thinking ahead to summer. What he misses most is what we all miss the most – comfort and routine after a surprisingly predictably unpredictable season.
The upcoming months will be make-or-break for Doncic. He’s been extremely clear that he intends to slow-play any decision about his future. An L.A. resident just ahead of the playoffs, the Slovenian guard opened up about wanting to remain in Los Angeles with ESPN’s Malika Andrews. Nonetheless, the intricacies of his context will require new sensitivities.
Doncic’s commitment to basketball remains unwavering. He is going to be spending his summer working towards playing for the Slovenian men’s national basketball team at EuroBasket. This is an important window for him to develop his game and remain competitive. Doncic is on the clock this season. He’s still working the kinks out after injury forcing him to flounder with adjustments for LA’s new system since head honcho J.J. Redick replaced the ousted Darvin Ham.
Keeping his pregame rituals has turned into a necessity for Doncic, as one insider wrote. This routine is his way of acknowledging that reaching his best shape with the Lakers is imperative if they’re going to win a title. The Lakers have been making efforts to reframe their offensive and defensive strategies to leverage Doncic’s strengths while addressing areas where he may be less effective.
Throughout this transition, Doncic has been under pressure not only to perform but to adhere to the expectations set by his coaches. If he misses his training date, doing body-weight squats or pushups, he gets humorous retribution. This method encourages an effective team culture of accountability.
Doncic will have to make decisions about potential contract extensions. On August 2, the Lakers face one of their most tantalizing opportunities in recent memory. They can extend him very profitably for four years at $229 million or three at $165 million (with a player option for 2028). These important fiscal factors serve to further complicate his decision-making calculus.
One source close to Doncic stated that this season has been “the most unexpected year of Luka Doncic’s life,” highlighting the challenges and surprises he has faced since joining the Lakers. And despite these challenges, Doncic is still intent on becoming even better and competing at the highest level.
In the final games of his season, Doncic made it clear that he has an intense competitive fire within him. He hit dagger shots as the Lakers got tight in the clutch. His final jumper would provide Los Angeles with its final lead. Minnesota responded with a jarring 16-8 run, showcasing the roller coaster nature of his first few games.
As Doncic moves on to the future, he certainly won’t be flying solo. He intends to have all of his “body team” in tow during the offseason. With them, we have Slovenian national team strength coach Anže Maček and physiotherapist Javier Barrio Calvo. Their backing will be especially important now as he readies himself for bigger national obligations and possible shakeups on the Lakers front.
“I know I will get better. I don’t necessarily take any satisfaction from how the year went.” – Luka Doncic
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