Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Dončić ‘No Longer Carrying Any Baggage’ From His Exit From Dallas Mavericks
NBA superstar Luka Dončić of the Los Angeles Lakers is “no longer carrying any baggage” from his exit from the Dallas Mavericks.
Dončić has fully moved on from the blockbuster trade, according to his manager, Lara Beth Seager.
“He’s moved on,” Seager told Dan Woike of The Athletic. “I think it was always known that, when Luka was traded here, it’s, ‘He’s here now.’ He wants to win where he is, and it’s important that he wins and that we’re working together with the team so we’re not waiting. His mindset has never been to hop around. His mindset is to win championships.
“His mindset is to build where he is and to work together. And as long as he’s signed with a team, it’s a marriage and you treat it like a marriage. And marriages have hard times and good times, but you’re loyal and you’re faithful to each other through it all. And that’s just who Luka Dončić is. I don’t think he ever thought. ‘I’m not signing my extension.’”
Dončić signed a three-year, $165 million extension with the Lakers on August 2. He’s expected to spend the rest of his NBA career with Los Angeles.
A five-time All-Star, Dončić not only lost a ton of weight this offseason, but he also recruited Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart to the Lakers.
“He’s only looking forward. And he’s here. He wants to get the best players here. He wants to win, and he knows it starts with him,” Seager said about Dončić. “And I think that’s what he proved this offseason. ‘OK, everyone wants to say or people think that they know me or I’m not a leader or I’m this way, or I’m that way, I don’t care. They can think and say whatever they want. I’m gonna show them who I am.’”
Dončić appeared in 28 games with the Lakers last season. He averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists. Los Angeles lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 playoffs, but Dončić played well offensively, averaging 30.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists.
A future Hall of Famer, Dončić enters next season with career averages of 28.6 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.2 assists with the Mavericks and Lakers. He’s third in NBA history in points per game, trailing only NBA legends Michael Jordan (30.12) and Wilt Chamberlain (30.07).
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