The Los Angeles Lakers stole headlines ahead of last season’s trade deadline by shockingly acquiring Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks. Led by LeBron James and Doncic, the dynamic duo led a strong second-half charge to sneak into the postseason.
However, once they arrived in the NBA Playoffs as favorites, the Lakers let their fans down with a first-round elimination. The Lakers have spent the offseason trying to build a stronger roster that delivers better results next year, and Doncic reportedly had a say in their changes.
According to The Athletic’s Dan Woike, Doncic has been actively recruiting players to join the Lakers this offseason, and by the looks of his list, he’s been pretty successful.
“Luka Dončić, according to league sources, had communicated his desires for a rim-running center, shooting & defensive support and has been an active recruiter helping secure Ayton and Smart.”
The Athletic
Doncic did have great success in Dallas with a few rim-running high-flying centers such as Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford. So it only makes sense for the Lakers to follow suit with a tall center who’s more than capable of finishing at the rim with consistency.
Meanwhile, Smart is a three-time member of the NBA’s All-Defensive team and a prior Defensive Player of the Year winner. The question is, have the Lakers added enough shooting?
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