The Lakers are stepping into the Luka Doncic era, and the early signs around him have been encouraging. With LeBron James no longer on the roster for the first time in a decade, Doncic is now the face of the franchise, and he has made a clear effort to show up for the upcoming season in better condition.
That progress has not gone unnoticed. It was already obvious last season that Doncic had improved, but there was still more room for him to get fully into shape.
This year, Dirk Nowitzki has praised Doncic’s physique, and the buzz only grew when Doncic and his Lakers teammates traveled to his native Slovenia for a bonding trip and training camp in Ljubljana. ClutchPoints’ Miguel La Torre noted that the trip gave fans an early look at Doncic’s conditioning ahead of what could be a pivotal year, adding that Doncic has drawn attention as a possible MVP candidate and that Nowitzki clearly sees his protege as ready for a big season.
Even with all of that optimism, there is one issue the Lakers cannot completely ignore: Doncic is not tied down long term. If the situation in Los Angeles goes off track, there is always the possibility that he could eventually look elsewhere.
“[Nikola Jokic] can profess his loyalty to the [Denver] Nuggets, there's still going to be teams that are positioning themselves and monitoring that. ... It's the same thing with Luka. He's done nothing but express optimism and excitement ... but it's not that long-term of an extension," ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said.
That is where one hypothetical gets loud fast. Colin Keane of Lake Show Life floated the idea of the Denver Nuggets making a run at Doncic if things unravel in Los Angeles, and the image is as eye-catching as it gets: Doncic alongside Nikola Jokic.
“Oh baby. A Doncic-Nikola Jokic duo is kind of exactly what the basketball gods want to see, isn't it?
This would turn the Nuggets right back into frontrunners in the West, rejuvenating Jokic's championship prospects at a time when it's badly needed. We already know that Doncic and Jokic are good friends.
The chemistry would be electric. This would be the pinnacle of Europe's powerful influence on the NBA ... another narrative that Adam Silver would salivate at,” Keane wrote.
On the court, the fit would be almost unfair. Two players who can score, set up others and bend a defense in different ways would force the floor wide open. Just as important, they already have a real friendship, which only adds to the appeal of imagining them sharing the same offense.
Doncic has already earned $198 million in his career, and the former Western Conference Finals MVP has backed up the massive expectations that followed him into the league. He is a generational talent and a likely future Hall of Famer. Jokic belongs in that same category, which is why the idea of pairing them has the feel of one of the most gifted duos the NBA has ever seen.
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The latest chatter, though, points in a direction Lakers fans may not love, and Denver followers know how this kind of chase can change quickly. The Lakers have already missed on other free agents recently, while Browns appeal as a versatile role player has made him a target for multiple teams. For now, the race around him is still open, but the list of realistic landing spots appears to be narrowing in a way that could matter for a former Nugget. [Read more 🡒]
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DeMar DeRozans New Nuggets Role Could Change Denvers Second Unit
The Nuggets bench picture changed quickly after losing Peyton Watson to the Cleveland Cavaliers, and the answer they turned to was DeMar DeRozan. The six-time All-Star wing is set to give Denver a very different look as a reserve, with the expectation that he will run the second unit and provide the kind of scoring presence the team has lacked at times when the starters sit.
It is a notable shift for DeRozan, whose value has long come from carrying offense and creating his own shot. Denver is betting that his ability to handle the ball and steady a group of bench players can change the tone of those minutes, and early betting markets have already taken notice of the role he could fill if the arrangement sticks. [Read more 🡒]