With new look and deal, Luka ready 'to go for it'

EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- A slimmed-down Luka Doncic credited a "fresh-start" mindset for his carnal translation this summer.

And aft signing a three-year, $165 cardinal extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, Doncic said helium is acceptable to commencement his pursuit of what truthful galore franchise greats person done successful L.A. earlier him: winning championships.

"We person what we request to vie for the championship," Doncic said astatine a quality league Saturday. "I'll effort to triumph each crippled nary substance what, and we got immoderate caller large guys connected the team, truthful you cognize we're going to spell for it."

The hold includes a subordinate enactment successful the last year, keeping the 26-year-old Doncic successful L.A. until astatine slightest 2028.

Doncic's archetypal half-season with the Lakers aft being traded from the Dallas Mavericks successful February ended with a first-round playoff exit against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Beyond his improved physique, the team's changes since that nonaccomplishment were connected show Saturday. Waiver-wire signees Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart -- some recruited by Doncic aft being bought retired successful Portland and Washington, respectively -- were contiguous astatine the signifier installation for the event. Second-round prime Adou Thiero, positive Rui Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, Jaxson Hayes and Maxi Kleber, were there, too.

The radical posed for a photograph with Doncic successful the mediate holding up his golden No. 77 azygous and Lakers manager JJ Redick and president of hoops operations and wide manager Rob Pelinka bookending either side. (Forward Jarred Vanderbilt was besides present, but not for the photo.)

Which made the lack of the Lakers' different superstar, LeBron James, basal out.

The 40-year-old James posted videos of himself connected the play people to his Instagram relationship Saturday morning, engaging successful his offseason hobby with grooming campy for the Lakers inactive astir 2 months away. James' determination successful precocious June to opt into the last twelvemonth of his declaration with L.A. for $52.6 cardinal preceded Doncic's extension, and there's been immoderate enigma surrounding James ever since.

James' cause and Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul told ESPN's Shams Charania astatine the clip of the opt-in choice: "We recognize the trouble successful winning present portion preparing for the future. We bash privation to measure what's champion for LeBron astatine this signifier successful his beingness and career." Paul informed some Pelinka and Doncic's manager, Lara Beth Seager, astir the contents of the connection anterior to issuing it, sources told ESPN then.

Speaking to reporters Saturday for the archetypal clip since James' decision, Pelinka presented a continued functional concern betwixt the franchise and the 2020 Finals MVP.

"All the interactions we've had with LeBron and his camp, Rich successful particular, person been affirmative and supportive," Pelinka said. "The dialog with [Paul] has been unfastened and constant."

Pelinka was besides asked if helium believes that James, who is lone nether declaration done 2025-26 for his grounds 23rd season, volition decorativeness his vocation successful L.A.

"I deliberation the No. 1 happening we person to bash determination is respect helium and his family's determination successful presumption of however agelong he's going to play," Pelinka said. "We privation to respect his quality to travel up with his timetable connected that. I deliberation that's truly important. But, if helium had a accidental to discontinue a Laker, that would beryllium great."

James, who averaged 24.4 points connected 51.3% shooting, 8.2 assists and 7.8 rebounds successful 2024-25, volition beryllium an important beingness if Doncic's title assurance is to beryllium realized. And Pelinka, portion detailing the additions of Ayton, Smart and escaped cause Jake LaRavia, vowed to proceed to look to marque the squad better.

"We similar the upgrades we were capable to marque to the roster," Pelinka said. "But by nary means are we going to beryllium satisfied. I deliberation each twelvemonth we're connected an infinite rhythm to effort to amended this squad and triumph championships, and we'll enactment committed to that work."

As overmuch arsenic Saturday's quality served arsenic the unofficial commencement to adjacent season, it besides had far-reaching implications for a Lakers squad successful a unsocial constituent successful its franchise past arsenic it awaits the $10 cardinal merchantability from the Buss household to Guggenheim Partners CEO Mark Walter to beryllium finalized.

From Doncic's favourite Balkan euphony pumping done the signifier facility's speakers to a pop-up photograph assemblage installation featuring snapshots of his vocation greeting attendees to the quality league erstwhile they walked into the gym, the Lakers made it wide that the team's contiguous and aboriginal precedence is their caller $165 cardinal man.

"Six months agone to the time the Los Angeles Lakers chose Luka Doncic done a commercialized wherever helium came to our franchise," Pelinka said. "Today, Luka Doncic chose the Los Angeles Lakers, and that is simply a monumental infinitesimal successful Lakers history. And we could not beryllium much grateful for you choosing this partnership. The champion young hoops subordinate successful the beingness joins for the semipermanent future, the champion sports franchise connected the globe."