The Los Angeles Lakers pulled off a stunning trade when they managed to acquire Luka Dončić, who was previously with the Dallas Mavericks. The move left the world in awe, considering how much of an impact Dončić made on the Dallas team. He had helped them reach the NBA Finals just one season prior.
Dallas fans protested against GM Nico Harrison and one of the owners, Patrick Dumont, but the trade was done. The best asset that the Mavericks received in return was big man Anthony Davis. That left a huge hole in the Lakers’ roster, but Rob Pelinka was ecstatic to bring a superstar like Dončić to L.A.
The move brings back memories of all the superstars who played for the Lakers, including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Kobe Bryant, and Magic Johnson. Speaking of the legendary point guard, he had some words for Dončić.
Magic Johnson Serves Luka Dončić a Bold Reality Check
The NBA legend appeared on ESPN’s ‘Get Up’, where he offered his take on Dončić’s future in L.A.
“Well, first of all, great job by coach JJ Redick to put everybody on notice on the Lakers team that they have to be in better conditioning for them to win an NBA championship,” Johnson said. “And I’m glad that Luka listened to JJ and now look at him. I mean, he looks great right now, and the rest of the Lakers have to do the same thing, right?
“And Luka, it’s great what you did in Dallas, but the difference is in Los Angeles, we expect championships, and we expect our superstars to lead us to a championship.
.@MagicJohnson has a message for Luka Doncic 👀
“It’s great what you did in Dallas. But the difference is, in Los Angeles, we expect championships. And we expect our superstars to lead us to a championship. LeBron has already done that. Now we want Luka to do the same thing.” pic.twitter.com/SQocwLswnw
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) June 12, 2025
Johnson’s message to Dončić cannot be clearer. The Lakers are one of the biggest sports teams in the world, boasting 17 NBA championship banners at the Crypto.com Arena. Fans expect them to reach the playoffs every year, and it comes off as a huge disappointment if it’s any other case.
Dončić would have to live up to the high expectations of delivering another title to L.A. The pressure will undoubtedly be more considering how the Lakers have not had much postseason success since winning the title in 2020.
In addition, Johnson also admitted a major issue with the current Lakers roster. “It’s going to take more than just Luka being in shape. Rob Pelinka got to improve the roster, right? And so we need a big man. And so hopefully we’ll be able to get a big man doing this offseason. I think we must improve the bench as well,” he said.
After letting Davis leave in February, the Lakers are currently on the hunt for a big man. They have been linked with several talented centers but haven’t reached an agreement with any teams yet.
It would be interesting to see how Dončić responds to Johnson’s comments on the court. The Lakers superstar has already been putting in the work at the gym this offseason, as fans await a drastic physical transformation.
