"Lakers should connect Luka Doncic to Freddie Freeman" - Yankees sportscaster advocates unique strategy for NBA phenom to flourish in LA
The basketball is still coming to terms with Luka Doncic's shocking trade from the Dallas Mavericks to the La Lakers at the start of February. The superstar is still finding his feet with his new team and a Yankees sportscaster advocated a unique strategy to get him up to speed.
Although Doncic has paired up with NBA icon LeBron James at the Lakers, he has had an underwhelming start to life in LA. Injury has played a part in that as the former Mavericks star missed 22 games due to a calf strain. However, broadcaster Rich Eisen feels that the shocking nature of his trade has played a part in his slow start.
Doncic admitted being taken aback by the trade after his move to join the Lakers. Eisen advocated for the Lakers to connect the five-time NBA All-Star to Dodgers MVP Freddie Freeman. Eisen drew a parallel between the two players, citing Freeman's surprising move to the Dodgers just after his World Series triumph with the Atlanta Braves, where he was a fan favorite.
Eisen said (13:00 onwards):
"You kind of see it in the body language that Luka Doncic is still in a fog and it's going to take some time for him to get his physical sea legs under him because he was out for a month before being acquired. But he's still kind of shocked by the trade, and I was just saying the other day that the Lakers should connect him with Freddie Freeman.
"Because when Freeman was told by the Braves, 'Thanks for the World Series, but we're not willing to pay you, we'll let you walk,' It took him some time here to realize life is okay. You're still Freddie Freeman, you know you're not. Your identity was that, but now look at Freddie Freeman, you know, World Series hero for the Los Angeles Dodgers and maybe he can call up Luka Doncic and just say I get it, but Just sit back and look at the 75-degree weather and be a Los Angeles stud."
Freddie Freeman was a mainstay in Atlanta for more than a decade and it would have been a jolt to his system after the Braves turned down his contract demands in 2022.
However, Freeman's game wasn't impacted by the move to the Dodgers in March 2022 as he has had three consecutive All-Star seasons with the franchise and helped the Dodgers to an eighth World Series last year, winning the World Series MVP for his heroics.
Yankees sportscaster feels Luka Doncic's situation is tougher than Freddie Freeman's
While Rich Eisen drew a parallel between Luka Doncic and Freddie Freeman's respective moves, the broadcaster also feels that the Doncic trade is a bit more difficult for the Slovenian as it came out of the blue. Meanwhile, Freddie Freeman walked into free agency after the Braves turned down his contract demand.
"It was out of the blue, at least Freeman got the idea that, 'negotiations are tougher than I though.' It didn't just come out of a phone call one night," Eisen added.
While it has been a wobbly start for the Slovenian star in LA, the spotlight on Luka Doncic isn't going to fade anytime soon as he will be facing his former team, the Mavericks on Tuesday.