Luka Dončić being traded to the glitz and glamour franchise of the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers, was as shocking a transaction as any in league history. However, the sheer magnitude of the move has crossed the barriers of the sport. Even during Super Bowl week, questions about the trade have permeated into the NFL bubble as well, with multiple stars commenting on it.
The latest came from a lifelong Lakers diehard and the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, Jayden Daniels. A California native, Daniels spoke about his excitement now that the Slovenian guard was representing his favorite team in the sport.
Jayden Daniels on Luka Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers
Speaking to The Athletic, Daniels was clearly overjoyed at the prospect of a genuine franchise cornerstone arriving in L.A. at just 25 years old. However, like every other person who first saw the post from Shams Charania, the disbelief was real for Daniels as well.
“I was surprised, I didn’t believe it at first,” Daniels said. However, that shock wasn’t taking away from his happiness. “But, I mean, selfishly, I’m happy. I mean, we got Luka; everybody’s obviously seen what he’s done at such a young age. So, I’m excited.”
While he agreed that the decision from the Dallas Mavericks and general manager Nico Harrison was perplexing, to say the least, as a lifelong Lakers fan, he couldn’t complain. Instead, he was going to enjoy the show and even promised to visit Crypto.com Arena in the near future.
Jayden Daniels welcomes trash talk, loves his relationship with Kliff Kingsbury… and is ecstatic about Luka Dončić as a Laker.@DMRussini discussed hoops and scoops with Washington's star, including his personal top five plays from his rookie season: https://t.co/r9qvlVdfvI pic.twitter.com/EmmeP6x2if
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) February 5, 2025
“I asked the same question [on why the Mavs dealt Dončić?], but I’m not complaining, man. I’m trying to go to a Laker game real soon.”
At just 25, Dončić already has five All-Star and five first-team All-NBA appearances, the latter of which is the fifth-highest mark among all active players. He’s been to two Western Conference Finals and even led Dallas to an NBA Finals appearance last season while leading the league in scoring.
For that kind of instant success to join the team, Dončić instantly makes Los Angeles a contender — not just for this season but as long as he remains on the team, which could very well be for the next decade. Lakers GM Rob Pelinka is already making sure that the Slovenian is a happy customer.
After coming over, Dončić reportedly mentioned the lack of big men on the roster. Consulting with him, Pelinka made sure to trade for Mark Williams from the Charlotte Hornets, a name last year’s Western Conference Finals MVP reportedly specifically preferred.
If the results align with the dreams and hopes of L.A. fans all around, this could be a very successful partnership for a franchise that already boasts 17 championship banners.