It didn’t take Luka long after landing in Los Angeles to decide he wanted to stay with the Lakers long-term, something he credited the fans for helping make clear.
The whirlwind that surrounded Luka Dončić’s arrival in Los Angeles was hard for everyone to come to grips with. Everything was so sudden for everyone involved, chief among them being Luka himself.
However, it was something that happened in that immediate aftermath that played a big role in Luka remaining with the Lakers long-term.
On Saturday, Luka signed a three-year, $165-million extension with the Lakers. Shortly after the announcement, he and President of Basketball Operations Rob Pelinka held a press conference in which Luka spoke about what led to his decision to remain with the Lakers after being with the franchise for just six months.
“I was kind of thinking,” Dončić said, “obviously not in the moment when I got traded but later on when I started playing, that I wanted to be here. This is an amazing organization. We have trust in each other. So, honestly, I decided pretty quick.”
Asked later if there was one moment that stuck out that made him realize he wanted to stay in LA, Luka went back to his first game as a Laker.
“Honestly, my first moment was my first game,” Luka said. “I didn’t play for five, six games but the way they received me, the fans, the team, it was unbelievable. In that moment, I felt something different so I was really excited.”
From the moment Luka walked off the plane and touched ground in LA following the trade, fans were buzzing with excitement. While Mavs fans certainly are devoted, it doesn’t compare to the size of Lakers fans across the globe. And LA is a Lakers city, which is different from Dallas, too.
Feeling that appreciation and connection from the fans at a time when he was just betrayed by his previous franchise also probably resonated differently, too.
The sentence about trust from Luka stands out, too. While fans may not like how the front office has operated this offseason, Luka clearly doesn’t feel the same way. He’s been involved with the team’s free agency plans and has recruited multiple players to the team.
His input was sought out and the Lakers followed up on his requests, something that also probably resonated. He wanted a lob-catching center and the Lakers tried once at the deadline before completing the acquisition for one in free agency.
Add it all up and the Lakers and Luka are set for a partnership that’ll last for many years to come. Saturday was a huge day for the franchise that was months in the making and at least partly possible because of Lakers fans.
You can follow Jacob on Twitter at @JacobRude or on Bluesky at @jacobrude.bsky.social.