NBA Insider Predicts Luka Doncic’s Past Loyalty to Mavs Will ‘Carry Over’ To Lakers

At this point, it’s really no secret that Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic was just as shocked as the rest of us to learn he had been traded away from his presumed forever franchise the Dallas Mavericks.

“In talking to people on Luka Doncic over the last 72 hours … he had no intention ever of leaving Dallas,” NBA insider Shams Charania reiterated during a Tuesday appearance on The Pat McAfee Show. “He had just bought a new home in Dallas for a lofty, lofty price. He did not want to go anywhere. You think of a player coming from abroad, they’re very committed. They’re loyal. And that’s how he viewed himself with the Mavericks. One team, one city, forever.”

But Charania went on to make an interesting point about Doncic’s future in Los Angeles—and it’s a thought that should please most Lakers fans.

Specifically, Charania said he thinks Doncic’s “one team, one city” attitude will “carry over” to the Lakers,” meaning it’s his prediction the 26-year-old will stay there long term.

“I think he’s loving his time in L.A,” Charania continued. “I think he’s loving how the Lakers … you think about what the Lakers’ brand is, it’s treating stars like stars. It’s Hollywood, it’s making the star players bigger than life. And that’s what we’re going to see with Luka Doncic.”

Watch that below:

Los Angeles is certainly hoping Doncic will stick around—he’s still young, and the team will need a new face once superstar LeBron James either leaves or retires—so Charania’s read on the situation is definitely a welcome one.