Luka Doncic will be nine months removed from his blockbuster trade that sent him to the Los Angeles Lakers. He was traded for a decent package centered around Anthony Davis, but he was initially unsure about the move. But he seems to feel at home in LA now.
The Los Angeles Lakers have an illustrious history with many superstar players who lead the team. Their names included George Mikan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant.
Even in recent years, LeBron James has been leading the way. Even though James is in his 40s, he can still play basketball at a high level. But you can’t trust him as a long-term superstar of the series.
Thankfully, the organization was proactive with its roster when trading for Luka Doncic. This was a blockbuster trade as most people thought Doncic could not be traded to the Dallas Mavericks. However, Mavericks GM Nico Harrison believed now was the best time to pull the trigger on a trade.
Doncic was shocked when he was traded from the Mavericks to the Lakers. It was a big opportunity for him, but he fell in love with the city of Dallas. He proudly represented the team for seven and a half years, but everything suddenly changed when Harrison traded him to the Lakers.
Dallas got a big package headlined by Anthony Davis. However, they missed the chance to see Doncic play his entire career there. Fortunately, the Mavericks bounced back with Davis as their star and also acquired the 2025 No. 1 overall pick and Rookie of the Year frontrunner Cooper Flagg.
Despite his love for Dallas, Doncic currently appears to be happily living in LA. It may have taken some time to adjust, but he seems happy and satisfied in Los Angeles, which bodes well for the team’s future.
“I’m happy where I’m at. As I’ve said many times, it’s always been special. It’s where I grew up in America and it’s been my home for seven and a half years,” Doncic told former teammate and coach Dirk Nowitzki.
The Lakers lost to the Golden State Warriors in the first game of the season, but Luka had a great performance. He had a great game with 43 points, 12 rebounds, and 9 assists, but still lost by 10 points.
Doncic continued his strong play with an outstanding performance in Game 2. They easily won 128-110 against the Minnesota Timberwolves, the same team that defeated them in the Western Conference semifinals of the 2025 playoffs. Doncic had an incredible night against the Warriors, scoring 49 points, 11 rebounds, and dishing out eight assists.
Even if people aren’t convinced that he feels at home in Los Angeles, you can tell by his performance that he loves playing for the Lakers. As long as he keeps this up, the Lakers are in a good position to move forward with a superstar in his prime.