Los Angeles Lakers‘ star Luka Doncic has been undergoing rigorous training in the offseason to prepare for the new one. While fans have been in awe of the guard’s efforts, Doncic’s father, Sasa, says that there are bigger plans in motion. While speaking with “Sportklub” about his son’s offseason efforts, he said:
“I saw how he works. Live. The reactions are expected. All I can say is that he looks good. Okay. For warming up.”
The reaction seems measured in the context of the massive changes Doncic has shown over the past few months. After drawing the ire of the media for his conditioning early in the offseason, the Slovenian put his head down and went to work.
When asked about what the future outcome would be regarding his son’s form, Sasa Doncic simply responded by saying, “Wait. Summer is still a long time. It’s impossible to reveal all the cards right away.”
The potential for Doncic’s growth and conditioning ahead of the new season has been shrouded in mystery, and rightfully so. Given the images and videos from the guard’s offseason training, it is clear that he has made a significant effort to tackle media scrutiny head-on.
The Lakers’ superstar was held accountable for his shortcomings in the postseason. Although Doncic’s arrival single-handedly changed the course of the season for the Purple and Gold, he was equally implicit in the team’s failures in the playoffs.
The 26-year-old’s offensive contributions, as highly touted, were overshadowed by his misgivings on the defensive end. His poor conditioning and lack of effort were presented as the reasons for this.
Needless to say, the subsequent response has been a positive sight for Lakers fans. Doncic looks to be in the best shape of his career since his rookie season. Pairing this with his undeniable mastery of the game can only yield positive results for the Purple and Gold.
But these are also matters for later in the year. The immediate concern involving Doncic is his upcoming contract situation. Since leaving the Dallas Mavericks, the star became ineligible to sign a five-year, supermax deal. Thus, he can only sign a short-term contract, seeing him miss out on a large chunk of money in the process.
Regardless, the Lakers’ star is expected to sign a three-year, $165 million deal, seeing him don the Purple and Gold for the foreseeable future.
The guard recorded an average of 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.2 assists during his brief regular season run with the Lakers. These figures are only a touch short of his averages from last season, which saw him finish third in the MVP race.
Given the efforts the Lakers have been making to form a roster around their young star, it is evident that they wish to bring the best out of him. With title aspirations as well, Doncic and the Lakers will look to be a greater threat in the West next season.
