With LeBron James having signed with the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency, Luka Doncic is poised to officially become the next face of the Los Angeles Lakers. Before the team's preseason game against the Golden State Warriors in Las Vegas, Doncic took the court alone while his teammates readied in the locker rooms at T-Mobile Arena. Lakers coach JJ Redick gave him the night off, and Doncic used the time for a one-on-one drill against three assistant coaches, including head video coordinator Michael Wexler and player development coach Justin Robinson. The session was designed to tap into the mix of ferocity and joy that Redick believes is the ideal emotional state for the 27-year-old six-time All-Star.
Doncic was not given an inch. He pulled up for a 3, hesitated to get Wexler and Robinson to bite, and flipped in a finger roll over Wexler's head. He also launched a one-legged fadeaway, the same shot that fueled the Hall of Fame career of former Dallas Mavericks teammate Dirk Nowitzki, and fired 45-foot shots from the sideline. When he flipped his middle finger at Wexler after the bucket, the message was clear. Lakers president of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka watched from the bench, seated next to Doncic's physiotherapist, Javy Barrio, whose job is to keep the star healthy after a late-season hamstring injury sidelined him for the playoffs last spring.
Doncic's talent is not in question. He secured the second scoring title of his career last season by topping 40 points 16 times. The harder question is whether he is ready to lead. Pelinka's task is to build a roster around that talent that can contend for a championship. Doncic has already given the front office feedback, notably requesting an "A-list center," according to ESPN sources. Pelinka said last month that co-creating with a star like Doncic creates buy-in, adding, "We love those roundtable discussions where ideas are shared."
The season opens Wednesday against the Warriors at 7 p.m. PT on ESPN. The Lakers face several open questions, but the pregame display in Vegas suggested that Doncic will be as exciting as ever to watch.
Source: ESPN NBA · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing