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5h ago

Lakers Climb to No. 8 in ESPN Future Rankings With Luka Dončić Anchoring Plan

A frank interview shows he still wrestles with the Dallas trade.

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Vice President of Basketball Operations and General Manager Rob Pelinka of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on prior to the game against the Chicago Bulls on March 27, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
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Overview

  • ESPN moved the Lakers up to No. 8 in its future rankings, crediting February’s trade for Dončić and his August extension for the leap.
  • Luka Dončić said in The Wall Street Journal that things with the Mavericks “will always be strange” and he may never get closure from the trade.
  • He stated he would “for sure” like to retire with Real Madrid, the club where he turned pro as a teenager.
  • After significant offseason weight loss, Dončić impressed at EuroBasket 2025, reinforcing expectations for a strong first full season in Los Angeles.
  • He recalled Kobe Bryant warning him as a teen to brace for extra scrutiny as a European player.