3 Ways Luka Doncic’s Demands to the Lakers Could Benefit LeBron James’ GOAT Legacy

LeBron James is on the verge of leaving the game for good. This will leave the Los Angeles Lakers in the hands of his worthy successor, Luka Doncic, who will be entrusted with enhancing the winning legacy that the 40-year-old superstar continued.

In the 2023-24 season, the Slovenian led his Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals. This past campaign, he had hoped to take that next step and win his first title. But he did not have a clue that his path to a title would be on another team.

The tremor-inducing trade placed him in a completely different situation. New coaching staff, new teammates, and new training staff. All of these factors have to work in unison for any player to perform at their best.

In this offseason, the franchise’s top brass have been working hard to bring in players that can help continue the Lakers’ demand for competitiveness. In doing so, they have maintained roster and cap flexibility for a major splurge on a superstar after James retires.

However, the 4-time champion would want to take this opportunity to win one more championship. That 5th title will help him get another accolade to show for in the GOAT debate. But for that to happen, he will need the franchise to listen to Luka Doncic’s demands.

Luka Doncic does not want to wait for a title

Before Luka Doncic signed a contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, he and his manager sat down with GM Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick to understand the numbers behind their roster.

As per ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, the 26-year-old listened to everything and understood what the franchise is dealing with. However, he was quoted as saying that he cannot wait to win a championship.

That means he is also piling the pressure on the team, as without a proper roster, they cannot hope to battle against the highly competitive teams in the league. This will be good news for LeBron James.

He has been trying to get the franchise to listen to his demands and has even threatened to leave via trade. But if his successor has the same thought process, then it will be sensible for the Lakers to act accordingly.

Luka Doncic’s mindset should help LeBron James’ 5th title goals

When Luka Doncic arrived on the West Coast, his demeanor gave a clear indication of how hurt he was. Even though he tried to contain his emotions, it was evident that he never envisioned the Dallas Mavericks would cast him away.

The 26-year-old knows that the trade benefited his former team as well. Now with Cooper Flagg joining them, they have great odds of winning next year’s title. Doncic may not say it out loud, but he would want to win his 1st championship before his former team does.

This should benefit LeBron James in his quest for a 5th ring. The timing of the Mavericks’ championship quest should push Doncic into revenge mode, and that will greatly influence how he plays next season.

Luka Doncic’s conditioning will push teammates to take the next step

There is a saying that leaders show the way for others to follow. LeBron James is no doubt the official leader of the Los Angeles Lakers. However, his teammates know that he is a freak of nature, and trying to copy his conditioning methods might not provide the same result.

But when Luka Doncic chose to spend his entire offseason focused on just getting his body in shape, his teammates may look to that for inspiration. It so happens that the Slovenian was known to be out of shape for much of his career.

Since he has dedicated his energies to being the best version of himself, it should not be impossible for his teammates to follow suit. Then, if he uses this conditioning to perform better on the court, his teammates could be motivated to do the same.

All of this should help the Los Angeles Lakers get rid of their lapses of effort that plagued many games last season. It should also push the entire team to find a rhythm they would be comfortable with.

All of these factors will pave the way for the team to march towards a title fight. If they happen to win it next season, they will help LeBron James enhance his GOAT legacy by that much more.

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