Before moving to Los Angeles, Luka Doncic called Dallas home for six and a half seasons. Perhaps Rob Pelinka adding some old running mates can make his new team feel more like home.
Doncic did joke on the Mind the Game podcast about how playing for the Los Angeles Lakers has given him regular access to the ocean, which the superstar point guard has enjoyed. Reuniting with a former teammate, or two, this offseason can provide another reason for celebration.
Daniel Gafford
Daniel Gafford is the most obvious name to have linked to the Lakers this offseason. The Dallas Mavericks starting center was a great compliment to Doncic during their time together and can continue that success in Los Angeles.
2025-26 will be the final season of Gafford's current three-year, $40.2 million deal. The Mavericks big man will earn $14.4 million in next season's campaign. Back in the middle of May, Michael Scotto explained why his situation is worth pay attention to.
Scotto wrote, "Gafford is a trade candidate to monitor should he not agree to an extension with Dallas. The 26-year-old center will want a pay raise, the Mavericks already have [Anthony] Davis on a max contract, and 21-year-old center Dereck Lively is a year away from being extension-eligible."
Pelinka and the Lakers have already gotten the better of Nico Harrison once. Why not double down and aim to do the same with a trade for Gafford?
Kristaps Porzingis
The intrigue of resurrecting this once failed Mavericks duo comes from a number of factors. For starters, the Boston Celtics will be eager to save some money this offseason.
This should make both Kristaps Porzingis and Jrue Holiday primed for a trade where the Celtics will be more concerned with cutting costs than retaining value. With Porzingis on an expiring deal, the two-way center will be much easier to justify than Holiday, who is locked up through 2027-28.
Porzingis' evolution as a player in Boston makes him a much better fit with Doncic this time around. The injury concerns are obvious, so it will depend on how confident the Lakers are about keeping him on the court.
Harrison Barnes
Doncic and Harrison Barnes shared the court for one season: 2018-19. That was the rookie campaign for the Slovenian superstar.
Barnes is a savvy and productive veteran. The 13-year pro averaged 12.3 points, shooting 50.8 percent from the field and 43.3 percent from beyond the arc, in 82 games during the 2024-25 season.
If the San Antonio Spurs are involved in any sort of blockbuster this summer that forces them to move Barnes' $19 million in the process, the Lakers can involve themselves to reroute the forward to Los Angeles. His spacing and IQ would be tremendously valuable next to Doncic and LeBron James.