Luca Doncic Has Become A Key Recruiter For the LA Lakers
Sep 2, 2025
Luka Doncic has not been a Laker for very long. He was just traded to the team in January 2025. Still, the franchise player has shown an interest in making his team better by recruiting top free agents over to Los Angeles.
The Lakers are in a weird position right now. LeBron James is their franchise player and one of the greats the game has ever seen. But James is also in his late 30s and is not necessarily a part of the team's future.
Doncic is the absolute future for the Lakers. The team was shocked to be able to acquire the Slovenian superstar from the Mavericks and is now looking to build around him. Doncic is more than willing to help the team add talent.
Marc Stein recently reported:
“ Luka Doncic is not contract extension-eligible until Aug. 2, but his first summer as a Laker has already been a busy one. Soon to begin his (whoa) eighth NBA season, Dončić was a lead recruiter in the Lakers’ pursuits of Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart via the NBA’s increasingly robust July buyout market. „
The Lakers went into this year's free agency period with needs, but not a ton of money. They were not able to play at the top of the market, but still, thanks to Doncic, they were able to make significant improvements.
DeAndre Ayton, the first overall selection in the 2018 NBA Draft, averaged 14.4 points and 10.2 rebounds per game for the Trailblazers last year. He joined the Lakers on a two-year, $16.6 million deal. Smart was inked to a two-year $11 million deal.
