EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Luka Dončić said he was just as shocked as the rest of the sports world when he found out that the Dallas Mavericks had traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers in a blockbuster three-team deal Saturday.
“Everybody was surprised, so you can imagine how surprised I was,” Dončić said at his introductory news conference at the Lakers practice facility Tuesday. “I was almost asleep, so when I got a call, I had to check if it was April first. I didn’t really believe it at first and it was a big shock. It was a hard moment for me. It was home. … (But) I get to play in the greatest club in the world. And I’m excited for this new journey.”
Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka said that combining Dončić, a 25-year-old generational and global superstar, with the Lakers, one of the most famous sports franchises in the world, is a “seismic event in NBA history.”
“I think it’s going to be something incredibly special that the NBA and basketball has never seen before,” Pelinka said.
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Dončić fielded countless questions about the criticism he received from Dallas in the aftermath of the trade. He said he’s taking “the high road,” thanking his former teammates and colleagues in the Mavericks organization.
When specifically asked about Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison’s decision and public comments, Dončić declined to engage in a back and forth.
“That’s their decision so I have no comment on that,” Dončić said. “They made a decision. I don’t know why. But that’s their decision so I can’t do nothing about it.”
Dončić also shut down speculation that negotiations surrounding his potential super-max extension in Dallas caused the organization to trade him.
“Absolutely not,” Dončić said. “Easy answer.”
He later added that he “obviously” has something to prove in Los Angeles and is motivated by the criticism about his conditioning and durability.
“Win a championship,” Pelinka chimed in under his breath.
“That’s it,” Dončić said. “Win a championship. You don’t come here for nothing else but championships. So, I have everything left to prove. And the goal is to win a championship.”
Dončić, who has spoken glowingly about LeBron James through the years — referring to him as his “idol” and modeling his game after him — said that James called him immediately after the trade to welcome him to Los Angeles and the Lakers.
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“It’s just like a dream come true,” Dončić said. “I always look up to him. There’s so many things I could learn from him. And I’m just excited, just to learn everything and now I get to play with him. So it’s an amazing feeling.”
As for how Dončić and the 40-year-old James will fit together — they are the only two players in NBA history to average 27-plus points, seven-plus rebounds and seven-plus assists for their career — Doncic is excited about the possibilities the two can create with their exceptional passing abilities.
“I think we both make our teammates better,” Dončić said. “I think our IQ is very high. So I think that’s going to help everybody.”
Dončić briefly played with Lakers coach JJ Redick at the end of Redick’s career in Dallas during the 2020-21 season. They’ve since maintained a friendship, with Dončić twice appearing on Redick’s “Old Man & The Three” Podcast.
“First of all, he couldn’t move at all,” Dončić said with a smirk. “No, but it was a great relationship. I really respect him. You don’t see me go on podcasts. I went on his podcast twice. So you know how much respect I have for him. So I’m really excited that I can play for him.”
Dončić, who has been sidelined with a calf injury since around Christmas, is on a return-to-play program but should be back soon, according to Pelinka. Dončić will scrimmage with the Lakers on Wednesday to determine how close he is to returning.
Pelinka said the Lakers have an urgency to improve the roster ahead of the Feb. 6 trade deadline, trying to add a starting-caliber center around Dončić and James. Pelinka said he and Dončić spent time in his office Monday going over the roster and what moves could be made in the short and long term.
“We know that our roster has continued work to do to become complete,” Pelinka said. “And just to be clear around the vision for our roster, we’re going to build a roster that fits JJ Redick’s philosophy, his basketball philosophy. … We know we have a need for a big. The market for bigs right now leading into the last two or three days of the trade deadline is very dry. There’s just not a lot available. So maybe we’ll be able to do some stuff around the margins. I would say, in terms of a big move for that position, it’s probably more realistic that would be something that comes in the offseason.”
As for the skills and qualities the Lakers are looking for in such a player, Pelinka said they are trying to find a player that fits Dončić’s preferred style of play.
“Versatility, mobility, a vertical lob threat, I think that’s a key to the spacing that Luka likes to play,” Pelinka said. “Competitive. I think that those are some of the core things there. Those players are hard to find. But we’ll accomplish the task that’s before us. We’ll find a way.”
Regardless of whatever moves the Lakers make the rest of this week and beyond, they have a clear blueprint moving forward as they build around Dončić for what both sides hope will be a fruitful decade-long partnership.
“It’s a gift,” Pelinka said. “We’re talking about a 25-year-old that is a top-three player in the universe. I can’t think of a more amazing starting point to build a roster for the next decade. And I know he has the drive to win that we have here. Our fans are going to see that every night on the court. I know up here he might seem calm and casual and quiet, but we know the alter ego comes out. And we’ll see it at Crypto.com (Arena) soon, and I can’t wait for it.”
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(Photo: Adam Pantozzi / Getty Images)
