Luka Dončić contract: New face of Lakers embracing conditioning, ‘fresh start’ after landmark extension

Luka Dončić’s three-year max extension has made him an incredibly rich man. The reported $165 million deal with the Los Angeles Lakers officially makes Dončić the foundation of the franchise’s push for an 18th NBA championship. But with that much money comes a greater responsibility on Dončić’s end, particularly given the criticism of his physical conditioning in the past.

This summer, Dončić has gotten serious about his fitness, and he addressed that when discussing his extension on Saturday.

“It was like a fresh start for me,” Dončić said of his offseason conditioning program. “I was on my way to do it, but it was a fresh start. Had a little more time to get my mind off basketball, just doing other things. I would just say a fresh start for me.

“For the first month, I didn’t play basketball at all. We were more focused on other things. I think that sparked it. The first five days without basketball were actually really hard. I didn’t know what to do. After, it was easier. Physically, weightlifting and balancing. After one month, we were playing basketball too.”

In addition to getting a little bit quicker on the court, Dončić believes slimming down will help his body hold up better against the rigors of an 82-game NBA regular season. Having a bit more gas in the tank should also improve Dončić’s defense, but he will be getting help in that department from 2022 Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, who signed with the Lakers in free agency.

“Obviously, we have Marcus, so he’s gonna teach me some things,” Dončić said. “That’s gonna help a lot.”

Six months ago to the day, Dončić’s world was turned upside down when a shocking blockbuster trade sent him from the Dallas Mavericks to the Lakers. Dončić played just 33 games with Los Angeles between the regular season and playoffs, but he saw enough to buy into general manager Rob Pelinka’s long-term vision.

Embracing new role heading into season

Even though LeBron James has been the face of the Lakers over the past several years, this is clearly Dončić’s team moving forward. That’s something the former Mavs star is used to and embraces in his new home as he sets his sights on returning to the NBA Finals with the intent of doing what he couldn’t in Dallas in 2024. 

“It’s an honor, playing for this organization,” Dončić said. “Many, many great players played here. Obviously, I want to add one more [banner] up there. That’s what we’re working for.

“Honestly, I think we have a great team. We have what we need to compete for a championship. I’ll bring what I already brought: Trying to win every game no matter what. We got some new great guys on the team, so you know we’re gonna go for it.”

Dončić believes having an actual preseason with his teammates — something he wasn’t afforded in his midseason trade — will be invaluable as he continues to grow as a leader within the organization and help the Lakers build a championship-caliber team around him. 

“With Rob, I talk more about the guys we wanna get,” Dončić said. “The players, I think that’s gonna develop in preseason when we’re all together and talking in person. I think that’s more happening in the preseason.”