By Nikola Miloradovic / [email protected]
Luka Dončić had a tough end to the 2024–25 season after being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. He was recovering from a calf injury when Dallas suddenly sent him to L.A., where he helped the team earn the third seed in the West. However, the Lakers were eliminated in just five games by the Timberwolves.
After the loss, Dončić faced criticism about his conditioning, with Lakers legend Magic Johnson saying on ESPN’s First Take that Dončić needs to take better care of his body and step up as a leader, like Kobe, Shaq, and LeBron did.
“Luka gotta understand this is not Dallas. To your point—Kobe, a superstar who led us; Shaq led us to a championship; LeBron led us. And that’s what’s missing here. We shouldn’t have to tell you to be in shape, you should have been about that, right? Especially when you’re a superstar. So this is gonna be an important year for the Lakers, an important offseason for the Lakers.”
This offseason will be crucial for both Dončić and the Lakers. The team must build a roster that fits around him, and he’ll need to come back stronger to lead L.A. deeper into the playoffs.