Journalist Rips Fan Over False Luka Doncic Quote Targeting LeBron James

Dan Woike dismissed Luka Doncic's fake quotes on LeBron James.

Journalist Rips Fan Over False Luka Doncic Quote Targeting LeBron James

Luka Doncic and LeBron James (Image credits - Bleacher Report)

LeBron James joined the Los Angeles Lakers in 2018 as a free agent. Many assumed the Lakers would be the third and final team of his career, and that he would sail into retirement in Hollywood. However, he caught everyone by surprise by not signing a new contract with the Lakers.

When he signed for the Lakers in 2018, James was the face of the franchise despite being 33 years old. He led them to a championship in his second season. It was the franchise’s first title in a decade.

However, things changed after the arrival of Luka Doncic at the trade deadline last year. With Doncic in the prime of his career, he took over the keys from James as the face of the esteemed franchise.

After James’s departure, Doncic made comments that seemed like a subtle shot at the King.

Obviously, LeBron did a lot for this team and made us better. We have a lot of respect for everything he brought to Los Angeles, but I think the team we have now fits us really well. We added a lot of guys who can defend, shoot and make plays, and I really like the balance of this group. I think we have a better chance to compete at the highest level and ultimately win.

Marc Jacobs on X

James and Doncic joining forces last year brought in a lot of excitement in the NBA world. The four-time champion even took a backseat as Doncic became the focal point of the team. The Lakers front office built the roster around their Slovenian guard. Lakers head coach JJ Redick even credited James for making sacrifices after Doncic’s arrival.

However, Doncic’s words about the Lakers now having “a better chance” to compete at the highest level came as a surprise to many, as it looked like a jab at James. But it has now been revealed that the statements are not real.

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Dan Woike flags Luka Doncic’s quote targeting LeBron James as false

The Lakers acquiring Luka Doncic last year was one of the biggest trades in recent times. Even James was unaware that the team was looking to trade Anthony Davis for the star guard. There was a lot of excitement when the two superstars joined forces for the purple and gold.

LeBron James and Luka Doncic
LeBron James and Luka Doncic (Image credits – Bleacher Report)

After Doncic’s quote targeting James went viral, Dan Woike, the Lakers’ correspondent for The Athletic, flagged the post and dismissed it. He wrote:

This is 10000 percent false and not something that Luka said or something that appeared in The Athletic – where is the “parody” in just being a liar.

Dan Woike on X

It is disappointing to see such fake quotes being circulated across social media, considering Doncic and James shared a good and healthy relationship with each other. There were no reports of any ill feelings between James and the Lakers either after he announced his exit.

The Lakers are less interested in Luka Doncic than in LeBron James

There is no doubt that Doncic is a generational talent and is one of the best players in the league today. Hence, it makes perfect sense for the Lakers to have him as their centerpiece. However, despite Doncic’s greatness, the Lakers have felt the consequences of LeBron James‘ exit. For the first time in eight years, the Lakers are not going to feature on opening night next season.

Sports media personality Colin Cowherd claimed that confidence in the franchise has seemingly diminished now that James is not on the roster.

It is fascinating to consider how much of a stabilizing influence LeBron was to the Lakers. Three years before they had LeBron, they had the worst record in the NBA. And now, two months after he leaves, they bail on him. The Lakers did not make, with Luka as their centerpiece, the opening-night NBA TV schedule. Think about that. They would have with LeBron.

The Lakers have made major roster changes as they enter a new era with Doncic at the helm. They will be looking for a deep postseason run next year after their franchise player missed the entire playoffs this year due to injury. The Lakers were eliminated by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Semifinals.

James may be heading into his 24th season in the NBA, but he is still very much the face of the league. The 41-year-old has carried the league on his shoulders for nearly two decades and continues to do so.

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