“It’s going to be special. We’re gonna attract a lot of eyes,” said LeBron James about playing alongside Luka Doncic. Less than a week ago, when Shams broke the trade news, it shocked everyone. From Tyrese Haliburton and Bam Adebayo questioning if Charania’s phone was hacked to the ESPN personality revealing, “LeBron James had no idea this was coming,” it was pandemonium!
Nevertheless, Luka is now a Laker. He’s forming an offensive powerhouse now with the King. LeBron James wants to make the most of this opportunity. Therefore, with the Slovenian set to make his debut soon, the 40-year-old is looking to create mysterious fear!
LeBron James recently took to his official Instagram account to share a story with his 159 million followers. The same featured him and Luka Doncic sitting on the bench, watching on as the game progresses. The 22-season veteran wrote a caption alongside the post that read: “Coming soon.” From Big Slim to Dwyane Wade, several celebrities took to the comments to share their impressed reaction.
LeBron put up the post a few hours after Luka himself showcased his first shootaround with the Lakers squad. Donning a pink pair of sneakers (possibly the Jordan Luka), the 25-year-old practiced alongside Bron and Reaves. They hit continuous shots without taking a breather. Shooting from the 3-point line, the trio missed none of the attempted shots!
That should be enough to instill fear amongst the rival teams, isn’t it?
After announcing the trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Lakers and Anthony Davis to the Mavericks, Shams Charania revealed that the news was equally surprising to the Slovenian as it was to the rest of the NBA world.
After all, as Rob Pelinka revealed during Luka Doncic’s introductory press conference, he and Mavs GM Nico Harrison committed to keeping the discussion between the team owners and the GMs. During the three weeks, the team did not inform Luka even once. Which was unfortunate, as the player was reportedly in the process of purchasing a $15 million home in Dallas! Doncic’s business manager, Lara Beth Seager, confirmed the rumor, since “he expected to spend his career in Dallas.”
Despite how it happened, Luka Doncic becoming a Laker is a BIG deal.
He gets to be a part of a franchise with a rich history, made strong by names like Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, etc. With LeBron James being 40 years old, the Slovenian sensation could become the face of the franchise down the road… The NBA must have realized this too. This may have led them to make Luka’s team debut a memorable one.
NBA tweaks broadcast schedule in anticipation of Luka Doncic’s Lakers debut
NBA reporter Gerald Bourguet recently announced that the league has removed the upcoming Friday matchup between the Phoenix Suns and the Utah Jazz from their broadcast schedule. In its place, the game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Indiana Pacers has been placed! Bourguet highlighted- the matchup could be the one in which Luka Doncic makes his highly anticipated debut.
During the Christmas Day matchup, Luka sustained a calf injury that has sidelined him till this point. However, given his recent shootaround, and previous practice sessions, the player seems fit enough to get back on track.
Therefore, debuting against the Indiana Pacers seems a good time to return to the NBA court. Meanwhile, the Utah Jazz recently secured Dennis Schroder after sending PJ Tucker to the Miami Heat as part of the multi-team trade deal that also involved Jimmy Butler. Therefore, they will need some time to settle. The schedule shift offers just that, putting them out of the limelight.
Representing the Los Angeles Lakers isn’t something Luka Doncic would have ever dreamt of after making it big in Dallas. However, since he is now here, already, the Slovenian and LeBron James would rightfully make the best use of the chances that come their way.
