Luka Doncic: Face of the Lakers + MVP Favorite?

Luka Doncic: Face of the Lakers + MVP Favorite?

Hello and welcome to the Lake Show podcast. It’s our weekly deep dive into the biggest stories and news surrounding the Los Angeles Lakers. I’m Alli Clifton alongside our Spectrum Sports Net co-host Chris McGee. He’s the man. Yes. Buha’s block. Yoan Buha is his name. Go check it out. It’s a great podcast. Thank you. He talks and breaks down all the latest. Um and you’ve got some information regarding the man of the moment. But before we get into all the contract, the numbers, yada yada yada, how about the number on the scale? Because the new look, Luca, have you seen him? You’ve been doing your thing out there surfing, living life. Have you seen Luca? Let me tell you, no matter where your Luka, not my Luca, wherever I go, no matter what, there’s always that little thing called the internet. And I will always get text messages and I always get pictures sent to me. And I have seen a lot of Luca video, a lot of Luca pictures. I think late Lakers fans are very excited. The revenge tour, everyone’s calling it. But I will say this. Listen, he he he looks great and he looks happy. He’s got a nice bronze tan going. He’s he’s he’s in prime. He’s prime right now. Prime Luca. The tan certainly helps. Following the the Ger season routine. That’s that’s that’s the routine. There he is. You called it the Luca revenge body. Yeah. Is that what we said? I mean, you break up with someone and then you go work out more and you look your best. Um, do you guys think that you could do this? He went gluten-free, low sugar, 250 grams of protein, and one almond milk fueled shake a day. Easy. Sign me up. 250 grams of protein. A lot. That’s tough. That That part’s hard. Yeah. The other stuff, gluten-free. Absolutely. Awesome. I will say we’re always doing both. In the last few days, I’ve been fasting. I’ve been getting my protein in. I’ve been going to the gym. So, he he’s already had an impact on me. Wait, are you serious? Yeah. Motivated. I love that. That’s amazing. Especially when we break it down one step further. What? But then you go on these like weeks where you just eat whatever you want because you feel good or you’re having fun. That’s the part that can get you. And that’s where he has shown great discipline. Here’s the thing, Yovan. When you get trying to think of uh the right word I can use on television. when you get um dumped on like he did, rain down upon him by his former employers, the Dallas Mavericks, and the way they talked about him on the way out, I just couldn’t believe it in real time, and I look back now and I still can’t believe it. So, if you didn’t think Luca was going to have extra motivation because of that, then you just don’t, you know, you don’t know the guy, right? I mean, he’s a top player in the NBA. You don’t get there without having an extra gear, without being motivated, and all that stuff. So they just they just piled on and I think he’s taking it personal as he should. Exactly. Like if you guys ever see a photo of yourselves from like the wrong angle or something and and then all of a sudden you’re like, “All right, I I got to like tighten it up a little bit.” Yeah. Uh this was that on a national scale where it wasn’t because it wasn’t just like first there was the initial like leaks and whatever but then everyone’s talking about it and it kind of became an internet meme or whatever for times and people are making jokes and then anytime he has a bad game or something people are referencing this and it’s like you know I I think for anybody you’re going to feel a type of way about everyone talking about you. So uh there’s two ways you could go. You could kind of just sulk and and just wallow in that and or you could do something about it. He clearly took some action. Look, that was a great analogy because that’s how I actually choose my friends. If I have a friend that takes a picture of me from an angle that is just not a you’re not my friend. Like, are you kidding? You You can’t I’m not asking friends to take our picture, but are they posting it? Yes, that’s a Yeah, then they’re not. You gota get a real friend. You got to get the co sign on on any social post. And yeah, you are exactly right. He got that on a national scale. I mean, if everyone’s talking about your weight on a daily basis, like that, right, you’re going to be in the gym. I It was more about that than thank you. Yeah. For all the years of service. Thank you for being one of the I I don’t know, most well-liked player outside of Durk, arguably second best Maverick ever of all time. Potentially going to become the best. Potentially be the best. Getting us to the finals, 73-point game I think he had. Just all those things. It was never about that. That’s what surprised me so much. It was with the fans, but not from like ownership of people inside the organization. I felt it was more about why they wanted to get rid of him. That that was pretty crazy to me. There a couple fun things that obviously came out of that article. I like just like the simple I think just visually my body looks better when asked about it. Obviously, he’s done this tour. He was on the Yankees broadcast. We just showed it in the show. Um asked if he was going to send the the magazine to to Dallas and he said I think they’ve heard it and seen it, which obviously we all know that. But at the same time, the commitment to not making it just an offseason idea, right? And him saying obviously if I did just that, then it was all for nothing. So then it leads us here to kind of this end of his tour that he is on right now, August 2nd, he’s extension eligible. No indication that he’s not going to sign um obviously this deal with the Lakers long-term. What do you expect that contract to look like, Yvon? Well, I fully expect him to sign on Saturday. Uh, and I I believe he’s eligible 12:01 or 12 Yeah, 12:01 p.m. Eastern time. So, 9 a.m. Pacific time on Saturday is when he becomes eligible for the the contract extension. So, I think it just comes down to his preference of three years versus four years. Uh, maybe he splits the difference where it’s a three plus one. So, technically a four-year deal, but then you get a player option for the fourth year. And the big thing with that is if he opts out after that third year, uh, he’ll have 10 years of service and then you get a five-year supermax worth upwards of $380 million. You’d be getting paid by the end of that about $80 million. Uh, which would be almost a million dollar. We’re approaching that. So imagine, you know, showing up here and earning a million dollars per show. Like uh, that’s just that’s insane, right? That’s like eight years from now, right? Like three, then five. Yeah. You can literally feed me, dress me, do my However, you can do anything to me if you give me a million dollars every time I show up here. Yeah. Whatever you want. Whatever you want. Million. You You will eat the 250 grams of protein. You will have the I will figure out a way to get it down. Brett, it’s not funny. Just kidding. But yeah, it’s crazy when you break it down that way. Yeah. So, I I I expect either probably a four-year deal, but then maybe some flexibility with the fourth year where he can opt out if he wants. Incredible. I mean, the fact that it works out that way with the three plus one and then you put on the five, I I I think guarantee that that that that’s what he does. I mean, I would if I was if I was him, that’s what I would do. I think obviously that’s the because you want that max, right? Yeah. Right. With injuries and stuff, you always want to have the option of like the fourth year just to have some security, but uh realistically he could opt out and earn a lot more money that 10th year off season. What do you think his teammates are thinking right now? You got to be pumped. I I mean, no pun intended. I Yeah, I I think they love it. Yeah, they already love him. Yeah, you gota be excited. How motivate he is. That gives you like I mean, look at Yoan’s at the gym this morning. Yeah, yan’s uh he’s going gluten-free for us. He’s having an effect on on the people who cover the team. I mean, imagine in that locker room. Yeah. We we talk about when you’re being given the keys or in that position and you’re speaking of wanting to win now and do it for this franchise and let’s let’s not forget like you still have LeBron James going into season 23 who is reminding us that he’s still up at 4 a.m. right now and those are your two leaders but he’s your guy like just that accountability of that’s who you want leading your franchise with LeBron. I mean listen if you’re LeBron you got to be so happy. This is the guy they got you, right? Like, yeah, you always wants, you know, you always want a running mate. You always want that guy to kind of take the pressure off of you that can that can deliver in big moments. He had AD for all those years. They won a championship together. But now you get a Luca Donic and you get a motivated Luca. If you’re LeBron James, you got to be more invigorated than ever. I would think he’s showing you that level of commitment. Obviously, I mean I so I love ranking things and even before the trade I would talk about like I Luca is my second best player in the league behind Joic and now that Shay won MVP finals MVP a title like you could argue whether he’s number one or two but I think Luca’s right up there at at worst like the third best player in the league and now he’s coming into sh you know camp in the maybe the best shape of his career best shape since like first or second season and uh I expect big things from him. I mean, this is a guy who a couple years ago averaged 349 and99 and nearly won MVP. Like that seems like something that’s pretty reasonable. Is that where you happen with like Joic, Shay, him? Giannis is up there. I think that’s the top four. You can quibble with the order. I still have Jokic number one. Yep. I was going to say what a transition. So, we obviously know that when it comes to postseason awards and we know that Luca isn’t about the individual accolades. Having said that, you put yourself in this position that means that the Lakers are probably pretty dang good, right? If you’re right, you’re four, top five at worst. Yeah. So having said that, he’s been in the top 10. He’s finished in the top 10 every year since his rookie season after his rookie season. Last year he wasn’t eligible. You have to play 65 games. He only played 50. Where do you have him? You kind of went there in terms of you said top four. Yeah. Where exactly going into this season? I would have him as the MVP favorite going into next season. Uh partly there there’s always voter fatigue. So anytime Joic has won now multiple times, Shay just won. So that that I think sometimes affects how those guy like the bar is raised where you now have to surpass your best to earn another MVP. Uh so I I don’t think Giannis and the Bucks are honestly going to be in that great of a spot in terms of potentially winning a lot of games and and probably I see them more as like a fringe playoff or or playin type team. Uh so I think Luca’s primed for another career year and uh I would have him I think right now he’s third in MVP odds. I think it’s Jokic, Shay, Luca right now for most betting sites, but uh I think I would take the like the Luca one to me is the most uh like that’s the best bet. I am third, but I like Yo Yo’s answer better because he hit on something that I always say if he’s a front runner for MVP or he is in that conversation, it means the Lakers are having a great year. It means they’re above the line. It means they’re one of the top seeds. It means they’re home court in the first round, possibly the second round. And that would be great for the Lakers to have that. So, I would love to see Luca uh as a favorite. I I I am third just because of, you know, what Joic and and and and Shay have done the last couple years and where they’re expected to be again this year. But I’m I’m right with Yoan. I mean, I I feel like Giannis takes a little step back because of where the Bucks are. I I have I have uh I have Luca third. When in doubt, there’s a lot of excitement surrounding Luca. Um which continues right now and uh into the weekend. Having said that, I want to transition to his running mate just a little bit. Obviously, because there’s been talk about what’s going on with LeBron. Uh, obviously the photos with Jokic’s agent, you know, are they teaming up or are they creating an international league of teams? Is there something there? Uh, his agent even put it to 2026. Okay. So, what does this mean for LeBron? Let’s take it just in terms of season 23. It’s never been done before. But you also have a guy, Luca, who has made this commitment and has put himself in this position. What are you expecting from LeBron in season 23? I mean, for me and and Yovana, listen, you you cover it really closely and and I I’d love to hear your opinion on this. You know, Ally and I feel like we we talk a lot about it on our shows. I feel like it’s it’s uncharted waters really to be honest with you. And I I feel like when LeBron came here that first year, you came as well. What was that 18, right? I mean, did we ever expect in 2025 that he would be in his 40s, still be all NBA, still playing at this level, still demanding that type of respect throughout the league? I mean, I I remember the Olympics last year sitting in this very spot just blown away that he was still the face of basketball, globally, and around the world, and still the guy that kept the motor going for Team USA. And that didn’t change in year 22. So, here we are in year 23. I don’t know if the Lakers knew it. I don’t know if LeBron knew it, but it’s unchartered waters. He’s still that dude. So, for me, like I said this the other day, Ally, until he sits down at the desk on media day and tells us something differently, LeBron is going to be ready to go. The body is going to be in shape and ready to go. So is the mind. And and he’s here to play for the Los Angeles Lakers. I I I just never buy into all the other stuff. Yo, I don’t. And and for me like and you and I even had this conversation a little bit off record when we were talking um when DeAndre and Jake Laravia were being were being announced and and and introduced like there’s just a lot that that kind of goes on and people are always trying to get stories and you know you can take a quote and run with it and listen we haven’t heard from LeBron right so so it gives free reign for everyone to kind of run and make their own assumptions. Bottom line for me Yvon is this LeBron James is on this team and he’s got Luka Donuch with him. So that to me is his best possibility, his best outcome. So if he had a chance to leave before and he didn’t, he’s not going anywhere. Yeah. I I think he’s going to be a Laker next season and where he is in 2026 that I guess, you know, maybe that was planned on a yacht or I don’t know. Uh but I I think I mean and I I made this point earlier on the show like this guy just finished sixth in MVP voting. Yeah. And sixth in all NBA voting and he’s about to be 41. And we’re it just it doesn’t really make sense. And we’ve seen guys age gracefully as you know turn into role players or or bench, you know, key bench guys, maybe even still starters. We’ve never seen someone not just be like an all-star level guy, but still an allNBA top 10. I still think he’s a top 10 player as things stand right now until we see otherwise. So, uh it’s just it’s remarkable that not like the longevity to continue to just play into year 23. A lot of guys couldn’t even keep playing until you’re 23, but to play at this level, uh, I mean, he’s he’s basically been a top 10 player since he stepped foot in the league and like that’s just crazy. Yeah. And when you look at quotes or you look at what the Lakers have done or how how they have operated and even LeBron has said this, Rich Paul has said this, it has been a great partnership over the years. They have always been on the same side. They’ve always been on the same team. I think Rich Paul was just simply saying like, “Hey, we understand like Luca’s now here. He’s 26 years old. Like he is going to usher in the new era. Let’s let LeBron play this year. And then listen, I truly believe like, yeah, LeBron might have plans in the future. He might think, hey, I have this many this many years. But I also believe that LeBron puts everything he has into a season. Who knows how he’s going to feel come next June. That’s going to be up to him. Like, because he’s always talked about he’s got to be all in mentally and physically. Kobe was the same way or else there’s no point in me doing this, right? You know what I mean? Like LeBron’s not going to take the foot off the gas and go, “You know what? I’ll come off the bench or I’ll go down on the low block like we always said or I’m gonna go I’m gonna go in the post or play off ball. Like he’s gonna play how he plays. Let’s wait till we get there. Right. Yeah. And to that point, I was actually just looking for a quote and I’m so mad that I didn’t screenshot it because it just kind of put into perspective. He’s like one of three players last year to have some sort of awesome stat. I forget what it was. You guys may have just seen it, but they had all three guys had played 70 games last year. And it’s just like season 22 he played 70 games. when you talk about someone that’s going to continue to give his all and he drops that post today on Instagram just reminding everyone as he’s doing his workouts like the one thing you’ll never be able to take away from me is how hard I work that’s crazy 70 games you just kind of forget about it yeah he played 70 games again last year and 71 the season before and I I really think like he doesn’t get enough credit honestly for their success last season because Luca was of course the headliner and and that was the most shocking trade maybe in NBA history for a and they didn’t have for that that January stretch where they turned things around. AD got injured and LeBron was playing center a lot and and playing in these small groups and you know I just carrying the load on both sides of the ball. He really stepped it up defensively. JJ’s talked about that meeting that they had after the Miami loss where he kind of challenged LeBron and LeBron accepted it. It was like okay I’m going to buy in. I’m going to lock in defensively and like you saw a completely different player after that point. So glad you said that because I don’t think LeBron got enough credit for it as well. Listen, until he got hurt, remember he took he had a couple weeks off, right, where he was injured and he was getting right for the playoffs. It was only up the last couple weeks of the season. The Lakers had the third best record, fourth best record in the NBA. I think they ended up what, fifth, fourth or fifth. So, like he gets a lot of credit for that. I mean, that that team that lost first round was a top team in the NBA. Yeah. For 80% of the season. Yeah. It’s pretty incredible. So when you look at next year, Lakers over under for next season, 48 and a half wins per FanDuel sports book. Does that number seem right? Anything they can do to get over 50? Obviously, they surpassed I believe what No, JJ had him at 50 and they got 50, right? That was his goal coming in in the third seed. Yeah. Yep. I mean, do they account for possible injuries when they make these odds? You got to think like, hey, they took Vegas is smart. Vegas, you know, they know what they’re doing. Honestly, Yvon, like health. Yeah. Yeah, if healthy, this team can win 50 52 games. I think so. So, I take the I also think like the the West is just so loaded, right? Like, and you look at I think the Lakers got better, the Rockets got better, the Nuggets got better, the Clippers got better, the Spurs. I mean, uh, I was doing the West Tiers with Andy earlier today and we were talking about like we right now I think we both had the Spurs in like the 910 range, but like if you told me in April they’re like the five or six seed, I would like they have WBY and Darren Fox like the Kings had that one year in the in Memphis even though those teams lost first round where they got to that three seed or two seed. Would you be that surprised? No, I mean should be a top 10 guy, right? So, uh I mean the West is just loaded. So that’s maybe where we’ve seen there be year even last year Lakers were in a three-way tie for the three seed. Three teams won 50 games and then the Warriors were the seven seed at 48 games. So like that was the difference there of one or two games you’re in the playin versus having homec court advantage. So I think the west is going to be jumbled in that sense. But 48 and a half I think is a pretty fair line. I would take the over a slight over on that. Probably put them somewhere in the 49 to 51 win range. But uh I think it’s pretty fair. We’re going to head to break. We’re not going to talk about Wimi. How or all this talk with Luca, excuse me, um has you kind of forgetting about Wimi and one grateful that he’s healthy again, but the chess that he’s playing, the temples that he is running, and whatever’s going on in his off season regimen right now. Scary. It’s kind of scary. All right, we’re heading to break. When we return, the Lakers 2020 title still living rentree and many other fan bases heads. Never forget your haters. They are your number one motivators. We back. Welcome back to Lake Show podcast. If you’re enjoying the show, you can check out more original podcasts from our Spectrum News journalists on the Spectrum News app. Just head to the podcast section to listen to the latest episodes. You can download the Spectrum News app on the App Store or Google Play. All right, how about this? Sixers president of basketball operations recently commented on the Lakers 2020 title, saying, quote, “Everyone I speak to around the league privately agrees that it doesn’t truly hold up as a genuine championship. The champion will be forever marked by an asterisk. Sixers last title back in ‘ 83. I wasn’t even born. They haven’t even made it out of the second round since 01. Mory’s former team, Daryl my. The Rockets also never won a title in his tenure. No. Got smashed. I love Fruit Riot. They’ve got incredible sour grapes. Yeah. So, we are excluding them from this. But he didn’t give any reasons why he was sour grapes. Just said that. I mean, obviously, he’s trying to throw the bait out there because it does still live rentree in so many people’s heads. If it wasn’t LeBron James and it wasn’t the Los Angeles Lakers, people would have celebrated Jimmy Butler in the Heat for winning. By the way, the final four in that in that bubble, Denver, Lakers, Boston, Miami. Fast forward a couple of seasons, it’s the same final four. Like, those were the best teams. Bucks fell back. Giannis was never right. Clippers choked. They did. They ever thought the Clippers would be there as well. They choked 3-1 lead, maybe even to Denver, whatever that was. Uh Lakers were the best team that year when COVID hit and they were the best team after. So to me, I just feel like people, you know, they they they try to get you. They try to they’re upset about it, but it’s jealousy. We talked about it on the road trip and podcast and Rich made a good point, Richard Jefferson made a good point. Had you told the players that this wasn’t going to count as an actual championship or asked the players if they felt that it wasn’t an actual champion, do you think you would have saw Jimmy Butler leaning over the end of the the little stansion at the end of the the game that one he put up what a a 40point triple double like the effort you heard about it with Anthony Davis having a an issue that his entire foot was black and like Yeah. What I I think it’s insane that people are still talking about this this way. I think it was the hardest NBA championship and like because it stripped away like if anything we could look at the Lakers had a disadvantage by they’re about to be the one seed and have homec court advantage and had Miami still made the finals they would have had home court in that series but even so might have still had it throughout the entire playoffs and they didn’t get that advantage of playing in front of at the time Staple Center uh and playing in front of that you know their home fans so they had to play in in front of this digitized you know people Zoom and different stuff and like so if anything it was just pure basketball and it was about who was the mentally toughest teams who was willing to gut it out and we saw as Ger you know suggested like there were some teams that maybe weren’t mentally prepared for the situation and like you had to survive that 90 days right guys from the Clippers said that too right they weren’t Yeah. I mean there was a time where they almost all quit. Yeah. Like it was not easy to stay in that bubble for that long. And by the way, how about just a thank you to the NBA? Because if you could think back to that time, there wasn’t a lot going on. There wasn’t any live sports. It was really tough on on the country and the world. How about a thank you for putting that together and pulling it off. Yeah. And by the way, other sports followed suit and were able to pull it off as well. I mean, no one questions Tom Brady’s seventh ring. That was during co they played with fake fan noise. Yeah. Right. There was no fans allowed in the stadium. So for most of the year, so you know, I mean, you still count it. Obviously, this article came out because it is the 5-year anniversary. actually just Wednesday this past week of when the bubble games began and as we’ve just talked about just a unique different time in general. Um but do you have some favorite moments or stories? By the way, they had to beat Dame in a four out of seven. Had to beat Harden Westbrook in a four out of seven. Had to beat Jamal Marin Joic who would eventually win a championship in a four out of seven. Like the run of the Yeah. at the time. And then and then beat Jimmy. Yeah. And Psterolster in the Heat. Basically a home game for them, right? Those guys weren’t traveling. Yeah. So, I don’t know. Pretty impressive. You were in the bubble. I was not. You were not? No. But, um, you I think you were going to ask favorite memories. Um, so I I wrote a story on the Balkan boys, which was all of the players in the bubble from the former Yugoslavia. I’m half Serbian. My dad’s from Serbia. So I got to talk to Goran Dragich and Vita Zubots and uh Bob and some of the people that were in there and just like hearing the the war stories of uh like it is an area of the world where there is some division though there’s a lot of history and having all those guys come together and drinking all night and singing old songs uh that they grew up with and stuff like it was a pretty cool moment. So for me that’s like the proudest story that that I’ve written for the athletic. That’s awesome. Yeah, that’s cool. Uh, speaking of Bob, hard left turn. You know where I’m going with it. Happy Gilmore. Yes, you guys. I just watched two movies in a matter of 24 hours. I watched Happy Gilmore for the first time. Wow. Just because I was told I had to before I watched Happy Gilmore, too. Yeah, it made it made sense then. Oh my god. So good. And Boon was so good. Amazing. He’s the best. Have you seen him in John Wick? Also, he’s in John Wick 3. Got to check it out. Yeah. Like first five minutes of the movie. It’s good. He’s tall. He’s tall. Tall man, but he plays Yeah, he plays a tall man. So, well, we do have someone leaving Ally. We do. Important to the show. Yeah, let us know. Juan Salazar. 12 years here. There he is. We call him DJ Trans mixing all the Laker shows. DJ Trans. Exactly. Um his last day is Friday. Yeah, we just talked about it on the show as well. Yeah, he came in. We talked to him. We’re going to miss him. uh he’ll still be doing some stuff remote, but you know, when you’re in this business a long time, you you you you know, you make friends and you make relationships and people are so important to the show and the audience never knows who they are. Juan is one of those guys. He’s he’s a good friend and he’s a he’s one of the most well-liked guys you’re ever going to see and uh so good at his job. There he is. Voice of God. There he is. We love you. God. Yeah. I literally thought his name was just trans. I didn’t even know until today. I’m just kidding. That’s a good thing. That’s because he came in, by the way. Huge Laker fan. Huge huge Laker fan. Love it. Shout out to you, Trans. You are the man. Thanks to all of you as well for listening to the Lake Show podcast. If you like what you hear, leave us a rating and review. We love you. Yan. Good job, Yovan.

Look out league – Luka Doncic’s body transformation is the talk of the NBA world. This week, Allie Clifton, Chris McGee & Jovan Buha discuss Luka’s new look, his MVP odds, & his upcoming contract extension with the Purple & Gold. Plus, the latest on LeBron James’ preparation for Year 23 & a look back at the Lakers 2020 title run in the NBA Bubble. Catch all the Lakers action this season on Spectrum SportsNet+ with the NBA app when you add Spectrum Internet and at least one Mobile line. Plus, get a free Xumo Stream Box for six months! This offer is a slam dunk (total value of $194.99). Learn more: spectrum.com/getlakers

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