Los Angeles Lakers’ Luka Dončić ‘Focused on Becoming More Comfortable Shooting off the Catch’
NBA superstar Luka Dončić of the Los Angeles Lakers is “focused on becoming more comfortable shooting off the catch,” according to Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints.
Dončić wants to be more effective without the ball in his hands next season since the Lakers have two talented playmakers, LeBron James and Austin Reaves, alongside him.
“Another key development over the summer has been the work Luka Dončić has put in to make himself more effective without the basketball,” Irwin wrote. “Sources close to the Lakers say he has focused on becoming more comfortable shooting off the catch. He has also been in touch with coaches (Greg St. Jean is with him for EuroBasket, as an example) consistently this offseason to understand how they envision him impacting the game when LeBron James or Austin Reaves has the ball.”
Dončić has lost 30 pounds since last summer, a league source told DallasHoopsJournal. The five-time All-Star was listed at 230 pounds with the Dallas Mavericks and Lakers last season. He’s at 200 pounds right now.
One of the top players in the NBA, Dončić appeared in 28 games with the Lakers last season after the Mavericks shockingly traded him in February. The talented point-forward averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists with the purple and gold.
Los Angeles lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the 2025 postseason in five games, but Dončić played well offensively, averaging 30.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists despite being “out of shape.”
A future Hall of Famer, Dončić, 26, signed a three-year, $165 million extension with the Lakers on August 2. He recruited Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart to Los Angeles this offseason.
Dončić enters next season third in NBA history in points per game. He has career averages of 28.2 points with the Mavericks and Lakers.
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