Luka Doncic doesn’t just want to win — he wants to win now. That much became crystal clear during a private dinner in May with Lakers GM Rob Pelinka, head coach JJ Redick, and Doncic’s longtime business manager, Lara Beth Seager. The goal of the meeting was simple: align on vision, resources, and urgency. And by the end of the night, both sides walked away with a clearer understanding of what it will take to bring another championship to Los Angeles.
“I don’t want to wait,” Doncic told the table, according to ESPN. “I had a taste of the Finals. I am getting back there. So let’s do whatever we can now.”
This wasn’t just a casual dinner. It became a full-blown strategy session, complete with breakdowns of the team’s cap sheet, draft capital, and ideal roster construction. Pelinka and Redick laid out what assets were available, while Doncic listed the types of players he believed the team needed: a pick-and-pop shooter, a defensive stopper, and a rim protector. It was a collaborative moment between the front office and its new franchise star, one that now defines the Lakers’ approach to the 2025-26 season.
With Luka, LeBron James, and Austin Reaves, the franchise has a core that can compete with the best in the West, and they intend to use any opportunity to increase their title odds. Thanks to Luka’s input, the Lakers entered the summer with a clear, targeted offseason blueprint, which led to multiple signings that include Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Jake LaRavia.
Under Pelinka’s watch, the Lakers have forged a new identity built around Luka Doncic and a full championship pursuit. We have yet to see the results, but Doncic is clearly convinced after signing a shiny new contract extension worth $165 million.
To date, Doncic has yet to win a championship, but he’s come close several times. In 2022, he made the Western Conference Finals for the first time in his career alongside Jalen Brunson, but he did even better in 2024, when he led the Mavericks to the Finals for the first time in over a decade.
Now that he’s had a taste of the Finals stage, Doncic is more motivated than ever before to go all the way and add a title to his resume. While he may be 26 years old, he’s not taking a patient approach with contention. He wants to win right away, and he’s already pressuring the Lakers to surround him with a roster that’s worthy of his talents.
The good news is, even if the Lakers don’t get it done next year, they won’t have to worry about No. 77 leaving, because he’s under contract for the next three years.
If the Lakers can deliver on the vision they laid out at that dinner table, Luka Doncic may finally get the moment he’s been chasing his entire career. But with expectations sky-high and pressure mounting from within, the window to win is now, and everyone in Los Angeles knows it.
