The Los Angeles Lakers’ 2024-25 season was highlighted by the Feb. 2 acquisition of Luka Doncic.
Before the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline, it appeared the underachieving Lakers would limp into the postseason.
With Doncic on the roster, Los Angeles enjoyed a successful second half of the regular season and entered the playoffs with a healthy amount of momentum.
Although the organization’s postseason stay was short-lived, many are under the impression that Doncic will remain with the Lakers for the long haul.
Still, Air Alamo’s Jahlil Williams believes the ex-Dallas Mavericks standout point guard could soon leave Los Angeles for the San Antonio Spurs via a shocking blockbuster trade.
“LA hasn’t done a great job of recruiting impactful free agents or orchestrating important trades lately, so you can’t count on that happening,” Williams wrote Wednesday. “It’s fallen into an “I’ll believe it when I see it” category for me.”
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“Let’s not forget that the Lakers were exposed for posting the job of ‘Head of Strength and Conditioning’ to a public forum that was then reported on, embarrassing Luka. Everyone made an immediate connection to his struggles with staying in shape.”
“The result was a ton of laughter at Doncic. Whether it’s common practice to put those jobs on that site or not, it wasn’t a good look. All of these reasons sit on top of one majorly overlooked factor in this entire scenario, though. Luka’s trade to LA was not of his own volition.”
“Free agency would be a chance for a fresh start, and it’s only one year away. If Luka decides to walk away from the Purple and Gold, maybe silver and black would suit him better. The Spurs would have to move some things around, but they’ve put themselves in a position to be flexible, so anything is possible.”
While many may not see eye-to-eye with Williams, he made several reasonable points in his captivating article.
Doncic didn’t choose to get traded to the Lakers during the midway point of the season, and the organization’s offseason job announcement may have rubbed the 26-year-old stud the wrong way.
The Lakers will undoubtedly urge Doncic to sign an extension with the franchise this summer, but there’s no guarantee he’ll feel inclined to appease Los Angeles before the 2025-26 campaign begins.
If Doncic doesn’t ink an extension with Los Angeles, he’ll become a free agent next summer, allowing an improved organization like the Spurs to pursue him.
A Doncic and Victor Wembanyama partnership would unquestionably set the NBA on fire.
However, San Antonio would be forced to relinquish valuable assets to acquire a high-profile asset in Doncic, making a future trade complicated to complete.
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