The basketball world was absolutely shocked on Saturday night when news came down that the Los Angeles Lakers had acquired Luka Doncic in exchange for Anthony Davis. Coincidentally, this isn’t the first time the Lakers shocked the world on Feb. 1 as on that same day back in 2008, the franchise acquired another international star in Pau Gasol.
The similarities in the deal are striking, most notably that there was no inkling that either player was available and the Lakers were able to acquire both Gasol and Doncic without a bidding war breaking out with other teams. Gasol of course would go on to be a franchise legend, helping the team win back-to-back NBA Championships in 2009 and 2010 and having his jersey retired in the Crypto.com Arena rafters.
The hope now is that Doncic will do the same, but for now everyone is just excited for him to join the family and Gasol took to social media to welcome the superstar guard to the Lakers:
Welcome to LA, @luka7doncic!
Excited to see you in purple & gold. The Lakers family is special—enjoy the journey and make history!
https://t.co/jRLcCZhri4
— Pau Gasol (@paugasol) February 2, 2025
It still doesn’t quite seem real that this trade actually happened and Doncic is now a member of the Lakers, but this is something the franchise always seems to do. The fact that this trade happened on the same day the franchise acquired Gasol is almost like a sign of what is to come.
Doncic has long been one of the best basketball players in the world, being named an All-Star and First Team All-NBA selection every year since 2020. He is an international superstar and someone who will be the face of the Lakers for a long time.
For as big as the trade for Gasol was all those years ago, this trade was even more shocking and has the potential to be even bigger. If Doncic can lead the Lakers to the success and championships that many expect, there is no doubt his jersey will be hanging in those rafters alongside Gasol and all the rest of the franchise legends.
Lakers hopeful LeBron James can provide good example for Luka Doncic
Many questioned why the Mavericks would want to trade Luka Doncic in the prime of his career and a big reason that came out was concerns over his conditioning and overall dedication to the game. But now with the Lakers, Doncic will be paired with LeBron James, one of the biggest workaholics the NBA has ever seen.
And the Lakers are reportedly hopeful that this work ethic will rub off on Doncic now that he is with the franchise. The Lakers reportedly hope LeBron will provide a good example in terms of the physical commitment necessary to sustain greatness and remain healthy over a long period of time. And if there is anyone who has done that, it is James.
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