It is 'put up or shut up' time for the Los Angeles Lakers. Rob Pelinka and the front office landed the trade of the century when they acquired Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks. Now they are on the clock, having to prove their organization's worth to the newest superstar donning purple and gold.
Quite honestly, this situation is not too dissimilar from the beginning to any romantic relationship. Pelinka and the Lakers need to show Doncic why they are a desirable long-term match for the Slovenian superstar.
The good news is they are off to a strong start. NBA insider Marc Stein reported a little while ago that Los Angeles made a strong first impression. Despite the Mark Williams trade falling apart, Stein wrote that it actually help assure Doncic about the organization's willingness to take action.
"[Doncic] told Pelinka that he understood it might take until the summer to make that addition ... and came away impressed by how swiftly the Lakers initially moved to try to address that void," the NBA insider revealed.
However, Stein is not the only insider connected and listening to what is being said behind closed doors. Another man recently stepped up to outline just how truly large the pressure is on the Lakers between now and when Doncic becomes extension eligible.
Brian Windhorst delivers candid statement on Doncic's future in Los Angeles
On an episode of First Take, Brian Windhorst talked about the challenge that faces the Lakers leading up to Aug. 2. The ESPN analyst does not believe that Doncic staying in Los Angeles is a foregone conclusion.
"Luka doesn't have his incentive to sign," Windhorst told First Take viewers. "He never said, I want to be a Laker. There's dozens of players over the years who make it crystal clear they want to be Lakers. Luka never said that. This hit him out of the blue. It cost him $100 million."
Windhorst added: "He has got to see how they build this team around him and what they do in June and July for when August 2nd comes."
The ESPN insider was not of the belief that Los Angeles are real championship contenders for the 2024-25 season. Thus, their big moment is the NBA offseason leading up to the extension window to provide Doncic with enough reason to commit to the Lakers for the foreseeable future.
The jury is still out on whether the Lakers can make the most of this season. However, there is truth to what Windhorst is saying about the importance of the 2025 offseason. The 2025-26 NBA season is the last one where Doncic's contract is guaranteed. The 25-year-old superstar has a player option for 2026-27.
The Lakers certainly paid a discounted price to acquire Luka from the Mavericks. However, if they do not showcase themselves as a worthy long-term home for Doncic, there would be major concerns about the original heist suddenly becoming a rental for Los Angeles.