Luka Doncic sat and largely stared flatly, the room undoubtedly spinning as he spoke for the primary time formally as a Los Angeles Laker.
Luka Doncic. Within the constructing. As a Laker.
Loopy.
“All people was shocked,” he mentioned with a pause, “so you may think about how I felt.”
His introductory information convention wasn’t one a lot of celebration because it was one in all processing, the 25-year-old megastar inside a brand new constructing after he was shockingly traded from the one franchise he’d recognized within the NBA to the Los Angeles Lakers, a spot the place Kobe Bryant as soon as trash-talked him in Slovenian as a spectator in 2019.
“I do not forget that precise second that occurred,” Doncic mentioned Tuesday morning. “It all the time stayed in my thoughts. It was a tremendous second, only for Kobe to know my title was superb for me.”
Doncic now could have his place on the foreground of the franchise, similar to Bryant, like Magic Johnson and like LeBron James all did earlier than. The technique of getting him — a virtually month-long negotiation that started inside a Dallas espresso store between Rob Pelinka and Dallas GM Nico Harrison — have surprised the NBA, each rival gamers and staff executives.
None of it was that the Lakers didn’t ship significant worth — they traded Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a 2029 first-round decide. It was that Doncic, a five-time first-team All-NBA participant, was even accessible in any respect, particularly when he by no means requested to be dealt.
Tuesday, Doncic gave a Dallas-based reporter a rye smile when he was requested if he had given the Mavericks motive to consider he wouldn’t have signed the supermax extension he’d earned with the staff.
“Completely not,” he mentioned.
The disbelief he was in Los Angeles lower each methods, pleasure for the brand new alternative and shock {that a} commerce might even occur.
“Truthfully, it was arduous at first. That first day was actually arduous. I felt like this final 48 hours was one month, like two days in the past was one month in the past,” Doncic mentioned. “So emotionally, it was actually arduous. However every single day there [after] like immediately was a lot better. I’m simply very glad to be right here for this chance. That is the Lakers. It’s top-of-the-line golf equipment in historical past. So I’m excited to be right here.”
Rob Pelinka’s enthusiasm was just a little simpler to learn.
Pelinka wore a brown leather-based jacket and waxed concerning the international affect this “seismic” occasion would produce, the Los Angeles Lakers teaming up with Doncic.
“The explanation I say that’s as a result of we have now a 25-year-old international famous person that’s going to get on the stage with the preferred and influential basketball model on the globe,” Pelinka mentioned. “I feel when these two highly effective forces come collectively, it brings basketball pleasure to the world, as a result of that’s how Luka performs. He performs with pleasure.
“If you consider youngsters in Barcelona, or youngsters in Buenos Aires, or youngsters in Shanghai or Sydney, they’re going to be carrying a No. 77 Luka Doncic Lakers jersey and bringing pleasure to basketball, similar to he does. And that’s why it’s highly effective.”
Pelinka mentioned he started processing methods to make the acquisition doable as quickly as he heard a commerce was an possibility.
“I don’t consider it by way of shock, shock. I consider it as, ‘OK, that is coming at me, it’s like a recreation.’ Possibly a blitz is coming at Luka. He’s not going to be shocked, he’s going to remain within the second, determine the learn and make the play. And so when the chance got here to me, that was my mindset … ‘OK, that is coming. This can be a idea that got here to me. Now, how do I course of this mentally to get the deal accomplished?’
“And straight away when it was introduced up on the espresso, my thoughts began churning. There have been so many difficult issues.”
Lakers common supervisor Rob Pelinka, middle, and ahead Markeiff Morris embrace as fellow new Lakers Luka Doncic, left, and Maxi Kleber, proper, collect for {a photograph}.
(Christina Home / Los Angeles Occasions)
Pelinka mentioned he understands the Lakers’ want for a middle after dealing Davis, however the staff won’t be reactionary on the commerce deadline, calling the marketplace for huge males “dry.” He mentioned an even bigger transfer for a middle greatest suited to Doncic might occur as quickly as this offseason.
Doncic, at the moment out due to a calf harm, could possibly be making his Lakers’ debut shortly, Pelinka mentioned. He’s scheduled for a five-on-five observe on Wednesday. Doncic hasn’t performed since Christmas.
“For the primary time, I took my time to get it to heal 100%,” he mentioned. “Different instances I feel I simply wished to return on the courtroom taking part in basketball and not likely be wholesome 100%. So this time, I simply took my time, which was a traditional period of time to get again to 100%.”
Dallas, publicly and privately, have pointed to fears about Doncic’s well being and conditioning as explanation why they determined to commerce him to the Lakers together with Markieff Morris and Maxi Kleber.
“I hear stuff about him not being in form, however for those who can go in a NBA recreation and get 30, 15, and 10 prefer it’s nothing, then I don’t actually know what form is,” Morris mentioned. “I’m confused at that half.”
Doncic mentioned he anticipated tales like that after the commerce, and that he wished to take the excessive street, as a substitute selecting to deal with issues like being close to the ocean and attending to play with LeBron James.
New Lakers (second from left to second from proper) Markeiff Morris, Luka Doncic and Maxi Kleber are flanked by GM Rob Pelinka (left) and coach JJ Redick.
(Christina Home / Los Angeles Occasions)
“It’s similar to a dream come true,” Doncic mentioned. “I all the time look as much as him. There’s so many issues I might study from him. And I’m simply excited, simply to study all the things and now I get to play with him. So it’s a tremendous feeling.”
Doncic doesn’t come to Los Angeles alone. He’ll deliver with him members of his medical staff, Morris and Kleber. He was teammates with Dorian Finney-Smith and Lakers coach JJ Redick and labored with Lakers assistant Greg St. Jean in Dallas.
“I feel that’s a very good factor, you recognize? To come back to a brand new place however nonetheless know some individuals. And I feel that’s, mentally, I feel that’s a very good factor,” Doncic mentioned. “They usually’re gonna simply assist me, you recognize? The blokes which can be right here, they’ll assist me, like, study new stuff about LA, concerning the staff. And it’s simply useful to see pleasant faces.”
Morris, a member of the Lakers’ 2020 championship staff, might be a beneficial veteran voice. And Kleber, who is ready to be re-evaluated in eight weeks from a foot surgical procedure, could be a versatile veteran on each ends of the courtroom. They’ll assist a staff.
However Doncic might be a basis for a corporation.
“Now we have one of many recreation’s greatest superstars, a world participant coming to hitch the Los Angeles Lakers,” Pelinka mentioned. “It’s a convergence of all these forces, and I feel it’s going to be one thing extremely particular that the NBA and basketball has by no means seen earlier than.”