"It's not gonna age very well" - NBA analyst shares Lakers banking on Luka Doncic to adapt LeBron James' work ethic amid his conditioning concerns
The Dallas Mavericks front office revealed yet another conditioning concern regarding Luka Doncic. NBA analyst Sam Amick addressed the leak from the team's front office about Doncic enjoying beer and hookah, which could potentially break him down in the next five years.
In conversation with the crew on 'Run It Back,' The Athletic's NBA analyst said that the Mavs decided to trade Doncic because of his off-court habits. Amick also said that the Mavs believed Doncic was going to break in five years because of his habits.
"There's very strong indications that that was a major factor for Dallas...like the off-court habits with the physical concern. There is certainly a messaging and a narrative that Luka, five years from now, is going to fall apart physically."
"Now that is a hell of a thing to kind of put out there," Amick added. "And I'm certainly not the only reporter...Like time's going to tell...let's run this back, no pun intended, in five years and talk about what the said and see how Luka is looking in that Lakers jersey."
"If I had to guess, it's not going to age very well."
The NBA analyst also added that despite conditioning concerns around Doncic, the Lakers were choosing to bank on superstar LeBron James and his work ethic to have an impact on Luka Doncic.
"Lakers are certainly hoping that Luka leans into LeBron and does pick up on his habits [and] become more of that guy," Amick dadded.
The LA Lakers have won 12 of their last 14 games. Their win against the Clippers on Monday was their sixth in a row. They have a 6-2 record since Luka Doncic took the floor.
Gabe Vincent explains Luka Doncic's impact on Lakers with a Dragon Ball's Super Saiyan analogy
Luka Doncic's impact on the Lakers winning games is not just about his ability to score. Doncic has had more bad games with the purple and gold than good games, as he is still in the transition phase. His mere presence on the court has opened shot opportunities for the team as a whole.
However, the Slovenian star's game is complete when he gets in rhythm. He can create his shots and make even better ones for his teammates, a rare quality in players that his teammate Gabe Vincent alluded to with a Super Saiyan analogy.
When asked why LA have been successful with the European star, Vincent said that Luka Doncic's superpower to do almost everything on the floor makes the Lakers a big power against any team.
"You’ve got a guy in your corner going Super Saiyan, for lack of a better word," Vincent said. "And making great plays, hitting shots, it’s a lot of fun. It can give us a lot of life and we’ve been creating a lot of energy on the defensive side. And when he gets hot offensively, we feel like we can’t be stopped in that regard."
Luka Doncic was on song against the LA Clippers on Monday. He scored 29 points on 52.9 percent shooting from the field, including 41.7 percent from the 3-point line. He also had six rebounds, nine assists and two steals in the game.