Luka Doncic was blindsided when Dallas traded him for Lakers. Doncic no longer wants such surprises in his career. He told Melissa Rochlin of the California Post he would like to spend the rest of his career with the organization.
“I hope so” – said Doncic. “But as you know, in this NBA business, you never know what’s going to happen. But I feel like I’ve found something that’s really comfortable for me here. And hopefully (it will happen).”
During this time, Doncic strives not only for the championship, but also for personal recognition.
“Obviously, the championship, that’s what you play every game,” – he said. “That’s what you train for every day. But obviously it would be nice to win the MVP as well. Not everyone can say they have an MVP, so obviously that would be nice. But it’s about the team first. If you don’t play well, you’re never going to win a championship or an MVP. So we’ve got to play well. I’m excited to go to war with these guys. I think we’ve had a great training camp and we’re ready to go.”
Here’s more on the Lakers:
- Walker Kessler it’s a new man in the middle when the Lakers open their season against Golden State on Wednesday. Kesler received a massive four-year, $130 million deal from the Lakers that gave Utah two first-round picks along with a trade of picks to acquire the big man. Kessler was limited to five games last season with a torn left shoulder. How important will it be? “Their season depends on Walker Kessler“, said the Western Conference scout Dan Wojck of Athletic.. “One, he’s got to be healthy. And two, he’s got to be good. … And since he hasn’t played a competitive NBA game, we don’t know how he’s going to handle it.” Kessler takes the pressure. “I think he wants to embrace that. I think that’s why he wanted to be a Laker.” coach Jay Jay Reddick said. “And why he wanted to be here is because of the fact that there are bets every night when you wear a Lakers uniform.”
- Bronnie James struggled through the preseason in part due to injury. He is limited by a quad contusion suffered just before the start of training camp. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reports. Redick added that James often shared the court during the preseason with training camp invitees rather than the rotation players.
- Do they belong in the championship conversation? McMenamin notes that key offseason acquisitions Kessler, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili and Colin Sexton have started just six playoff games together in their careers.
- Who is in the starting line-up besides Doncic? Austin Reeves and Kessler? Probably not Jake Laraviawho told The Athletic’s Law Murray (Link to Twitter), that he expects to come off the bench for the first time. Grimes, Mamukelashvili, Mathis Tiboule and Ziair Williams some of the other logical candidates to join the top three in the starting five.
- Sexton has a sprained right soleus and won’t play tonight, Hobie Price of the California Post tweets.