"Going to turn him into Lively" - Lakers fans elated to see Luka Doncic's reaction to Anthony Davis' $4,628,946 replacement's vicious jam 

Luka Doncic already seems hyped to join forces with the LA Lakers. The five-time NBA All-Star joined the rest of the team for their away game against the LA Clippers on Tuesday as he continues his recovery from a calf injury. Doncic watched from the bench as the Lakers made an explosive start through Jaxson Hayes, LA's $4,628,946 center, who is momentarily filling in the giant void left behind by Anthony Davis.

Hayes gave the Lakers a 9-8 lead just under two minutes into the game with a monster one-handed dunk. Hayes came off a pick-and-roll with Austin Reaves on the possession and faced no resistance from the Clippers' defense.

Doncic's reaction to the dunk instantly went viral. He was amazed to see Hayes' athletic ability, potentially foreseeing his minutes on the floor alongside the Lakers' center.

Fans were elated to see Doncic happy. One fan suggested Doncic would raise Hayes' ceiling to his former teammate, Dereck Lively II's level.

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"That was the best shift Hayes has played all season Luka is going to turn him into Lively"

Another said:

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"I’ve seen enough, put his jersey in the rafters."

One fan added:

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"i don't remember seeing luka this happy"

This fan said:

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"YEEEAAAAAHH!!!!! show out for Luka, let him know what he got on the team"

Another wrote:

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"I’d be happy to play for this team too!!"

Lakers GM Rob Pelinka describes what Anthony Davis' replacement could look like in Luka Doncic's presser

The Lakers have publicly addressed their need for a center after shipping Anthony Davis to Dallas for Luka Doncic. It's one of their biggest needs, with the trade deadline less than 48 hours away.

The Lakers have been linked to several candidates, and the search has reportedly narrowed down to three names - Walker Kessler, Myles Turner and Nicolas Claxton. Kessler and Turner remain long shots as potential acquisitions. The Utah Jazz have a high asking price for Kessler, which the Lakers might not meet.

Meanwhile, Turner also has a high asking price. Not just that, the Pacers big is also due for an extension, leaving the Lakers contemplating using their only first-round pick on him. Turner wants a $30 million annual salary, and LA might be hesitant to offer that sum for a top-end role player.

Nicolas Claxton seems like the best option out there for the Lakers. He matches Rob Pelinka's description of what LA is looking for at the trade deadline and in the future.

"Versatility, mobility, a vertical lob threat, I think that's a key to the spacing that Luka likes to play," Pelinka said on Tuesday.

CClaxton fits that mold. The Lakers have a pathway to acquiring him via multi-team trades. A direct trade is also possible with the contracts of Rui Hachimura and Gabe Vincent with the 2031 first-round pick. However, it remains to be seen if the Nets are willing to take back Hachimura and Vincent in return.

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