Lakers acquire Luka Doncic in bombshell trade

Only 25 years old, Doncic will undoubtedly become the new face of the Lakers franchise for the next decade and give the Lakers a new player to build around with LeBron James entering the final years of his historic career.

The Mavericks approached the Lakers and offered them Doncic, with Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison telling ESPN writer Tim MacMahon:

"I believe defense wins championships. I believe getting an All-Defensive center and an All-NBA player with a defensive mindset gives us a better chance. We're built to win now and in the future."

This trade will likely send ripple effects throughout the NBA, a five-time All-Star Doncic is still only 25 years old and is coming off of a 2023-24 season that saw him win the scoring title averaging 33.9 points per game while finishing third in Most Valuable Player voting.

While he is no longer eligible for the supermax contract extension, Doncic is set to make $45M next season and $48M in 2027. The Lakers will have no problem giving him a hefty payday as they have gone all in on making the Slovenian superstar the next big name to wear the purple and gold.

Currently the fifth seed in the Western Conference at 28-19, the Lakers will have to wait for Doncic to recover from injury before he can suit up, but he is making progress that could see him on the court before the All-Star break.