DHJ Quick Take: Luka Dončić Tells the Lakers What He Needs This Offseason
Dončić wants shooting and an athletic, shot-blocking center around him, echoing the formula that fueled his best years in Dallas.
- What did Dončić say? He told a Spanish outlet he needs shooters and a center who can jump, defend, and block shots.
- Why does it matter? It lines up with the Lakers’ stated plan to prioritize a center and add shooting around their franchise guard.
- What’s the Dallas connection? Dončić thrived with rim-runners Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford before the Mavericks traded him in February 2025.
- What’s next? The Lakers face decisions on LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and the center market, with the NBA Draft set for Tuesday, 7 p.m. CT, ABC/ESPN, and free agency to follow.
Luka Dončić has spelled out what he wants the Los Angeles Lakers to build around him this offseason, pointing to shooting and an athletic center who can finish at the rim and protect the paint.
In comments during his Jordan Brand tour of Europe, translated from Spanish, Dončić said he needs “shooters and some centers that jump a lot,” explaining that defenses double-team him so often that floor spacing and a vertical lob threat are what unlock his game.
Why Luka Dončić Wants Shooting and a Vertical Center
Dončić has built his career on collapsing defenses and finding open teammates, so shooters who punish double-teams and a rim-running center who catches lobs amplify what he already does best.
The Lakers, who finished 53-29 and fourth in the Western Conference, have leaned into that same thinking, with president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka calling the center spot a priority after a season that ended short of the team’s goals.
Incumbent center Deandre Ayton holds a decision on the final year of his deal, worth $8.1 million, by June 29, and Dončić is believed to want an upgrade up front.
A Formula That Worked in Dallas
The blueprint isn’t new for Dončić. During his time with the Dallas Mavericks, he turned athletic bigs like Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford into easy baskets, using his passing to generate lobs and dump-offs in the pick-and-roll. That partnership helped carry Dallas to the 2024 NBA Finals before the franchise stunned the league by trading him to Los Angeles in February 2025.
Now he’s asking the Lakers to recreate the same dynamic, and Gafford has even surfaced as a name Los Angeles could pursue in a trade with Dallas.
The Lakers’ Bigger Offseason Picture
The comments land as the Lakers juggle several major calls. They’re negotiating with LeBron James ahead of free agency, weighing how to retain Austin Reaves, who’s expected to draw a significant offer sheet, and working the center market that’s tied them to names such as Utah restricted free agent Walker Kessler.
Through all of it, the roster is being shaped around Dončić, and he’s left little doubt about the kind of help he’s looking for.
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