Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson recently delivered a clear message to Luka Doncic this summer. Like most former players, Johnson expects Doncic to come out fitter and better for the 2025-26 NBA season.
“Luka gotta understand this is not Dallas. To your point, Kobe, bless y’all.. Superstar who led us. Shaq led us to the championship. LeBron, leadership. That’s right. And that’s what’s missing here. And so we shouldn’t have to tell you to be in shape. That should have been you should have been about that. Especially you’re a superstar,” Johnson said on ESPN’s First Take.
“So this is gonna be an important year for the Lakers, important offseason for the Lakers. And, we have got to get better and look at the championship. Always look at the Finals. It’s gonna tell you what you have to do in the off-season,” he added.
Since arriving from Dallas last February, Doncic averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 1.6 steals on 43.8 percent shooting from the field across 28 regular season starts.
Los Angeles Lakers News: Key rotation player undergoes offseason surgery
The Los Angeles Lakers recently announced that Dorian Finney-Smith underwent surgery on his left ankle. The 32-year-old forward is expected to be ready for training camp before the new season.
Finney-Smith was key in the Los Angeles Lakers securing the third seed in the Western Conference (50-32). He averaged 7.9 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.4 assists on 44.2 percent shooting from the field and 39.8 percent from three-point range across 43 regular season games.
The nine-year veteran has until June 29 to opt out of the final year of his contract worth $15.4 million next season. Finney-Smith is eligible for a new extension before free agency begins at the end of June.
