According to ESPN's Tim Bontemps, Luka Doncic appears to be taking on a bigger role in working with the Los Angeles Lakers' front office since his arrival with the organization back in February. "Luka is operating in conjunction with the Lakers front office in ways that he never did in Dallas," Bontemps said. "I think the shock of the trade has woken Luka up to the importance of being business-savvy."
This is the kind of moment most superstars eventually run into. Once you get traded, even after stacking All-NBA appearances and posting historic numbers, you begin to realize that talent alone will not keep you rooted in one city.
That kind of wake-up call has the potential to shape the rest of Doncic’s career. The Lakers clearly see him as their long-term centerpiece, but they also know what it takes to keep a team competitive beyond just landing a star. Decisions have to be made early and stars have to learn how to guide a front office without overstepping it. Doncic is starting to figure that out, and it already shows.
Doncic is already taking on more responsibility
Since arriving in February, there have been small signs that Luka is doing things differently. He has stayed in LA for much of the offseason. He has appeared at nearly every team function. He even took a lighter media approach this summer, opting instead to focus on training and internal communication with the team’s leadership.
That is not something we always saw in Dallas, where the weight of expectations was often placed entirely on his shoulders. In Los Angeles, he appears to be sharing that weight.
It helps that the Lakers have a front office familiar with working alongside powerful players. They let LeBron James influence several key moves in the past, and they appear comfortable doing the same with Doncic. The difference this time is that the window is wider, and the plan will be more long-term than quick-fix. But Doncic seems ready to embrace that responsibility.
Whether it leads to championship success remains to be seen. But the early signs suggest that Luka has matured from the experience. Getting traded might have been the jolt he needed, and now he looks like a star not just ready to dominate on the court, but also ready to help guide the future of one of the league’s most iconic franchises.