The Los Angeles Lakers may not be true championship contenders as the new NBA season approaches, but plenty of people are intrigued by the roster they have built or are even excited to watch them play.
They secured a major upgrade at the center position by signing Deandre Ayton while also bringing in guard Marcus Smart, who is just three calendar years removed from winning the Defensive Player of the Year award. Of course, this will also be Luka Doncic’s first full season with the Lakers and his first full season as the face of the franchise.
Hall of Famer Pau Gasol said during a Los Angeles Sparks game that he’s “super excited” to see the Doncic-led Lakers take the court.
“It’s great. Obviously, we were all thrilled, shocked and excited last season when the trade happened. It’s great to have Luka in a Lakers uniform and having that anchor for the next many years to come. Super excited for the team. Let’s see how we can take advantage of the team right now and try to have another run at it.”
Gasol became a Lakers legend by helping the team win back-to-back NBA championships in 2009 and 2010 alongside the late great Kobe Bryant. For Doncic to achieve the same type of exalted status of his own, he will have to guide the franchise to multiple world titles himself.
After being out of shape for quite some time, Doncic has gotten into fantastic shape this summer, and he seems poised to put forth a career-best effort this season and perhaps several incredible seasons for years to come.