Not today – but one day
Luka Doncic, Los Angeles Lakers
The Los Angeles Lakers are the franchise of stars. They bring them in, showcase them like no other franchise can, and nearly always rack up a number of championships. Some stars retire in the purple and gold, while others move on to continue their careers in new places. Luka Doncic has just revealed that he is interested in playing elsewhere before his time playing basketball is done.
It may seem that Doncic has been on the Lakers forever, but the shocking blockbuster trade that destroyed Nico Harrison’s career and brought Luka to the Lakers happened just seven months ago. Doncic played just 28 regular season games and five postseason games for Los Angeles. It’s a newly minted addition to the Lakers’ pantheon of superstars.
That’s why it must feel strange to be discussing Luka’s next team, especially in light of the new contract extension that he signed this summer. He has committed to the franchise in the present, is lining up a supermax deal in a few years to stay with the Lakers even longer, and the organization has responded by executing his vision for the roster this offseason.
Yet as with any superstar in the spotlight, the questions keep coming. In a new feature with The Wall Street Journal, Doncic outlines his offseason training program to slim down and level up his game. He is asked about his hobbies, his childhood and the insane trade that brought him to Hollywood. And, eventually, he was asked about leaving the Lakers.
More specifically, WSJ’s Jason Gay asked Doncic if he would like to return to his former team at the end of his career. No, not that former team – the Dallas Mavericks were barely mentioned in the entire interview. No, Gay asked about Real Madrid – the basketball club in Spain that essentially raised Doncic.
Would Doncic consider a return? His initial response was to deflect, expressing that to play for Real Madrid you have to be really good. That is certainly true; Madrid are consistently one of the best teams in Europe, and Doncic himself led them to dominant success while he was there. Madrid thrice won the league title during his time there, and at the age of 18 was league MVP and led Real to a EuroLeague title, besting all of the best teams in Europe.
They are also dominant even without Doncic, routinely attracting the top players in the world. They have won four of the seven Spanish Championships since Doncic joined the NBA, and made three of the six EuroLeague title games since, winning once. This is a powerhouse. They wouldn’t have the space for a token rotation spot for anyone, even Doncic, if he couldn’t play anymore.
Yet when pressed, Doncic opened up in a way that likely sent a small shiver down the spines of Lakers fans who hope that the Slovenian superstar retires in Los Angeles. Would he like to play for Real Madrid again and lead them to another championship?
“For sure.”
Real Madrid holds a special place in Luka’s heart. For good reason; they “raised him” and set him on the path to superstardom. And just like LeBron James made his way back to Cleveland (and may just do so again), and just like Chris Paul is currently suiting up for the LA Clippers, Doncic may be the latest star to log one last season back home.
For Doncic, however, that is not the Lakers, and it is not the Dallas Mavericks. It’s Real Madrid.