The Los Angeles Lakers have been busy during the NBA offseason thus far. While they haven’t made a ton of changes, they have brought in some very good pieces to support Luka Dončić and LeBron James.
Early on in NBA free agency, the Lakers went out and signed center Deandre Ayton following his buyout from the Portland Trail Blazers. Before that, they signed young wing Jake LaRavia, who has shown the ability to knock down three-point shots.
More recently, Los Angeles signed veteran guard Marcus Smart to a two-year, $11 million contract. The Washington Wizards bought him out, and the Lakers took full advantage of that opportunity.
That said, for Los Angeles to compete for an NBA championship, it will need čić to lead the way.
One of the main concerns surrounding čić heading into the offseason was his physical condition. At times, following his trade to the Lakers, he looked very out of shape. This offseason, he has taken that criticism seriously.
Fans have been buzzing about Dončić’s new physical appearance. He looks to have slimmed down dramatically.
Dončić also spoke out about his current physical shape.
“Just visually, I would say my whole body looks better,” he said.
Following his trade to Los Angeles, Dončić played in 28 regular season games. He averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 1.6 steals per game in those appearances. In the playoffs, he played in all five games and averaged 30.2 points, seven rebounds, 5.8 assists, and a steal per game.
At 26 years old, Dončić looks to be motivated after being ditched by the Mavericks. If he comes into the 2025-26 NBA season in the best shape of his life, a career-best season could be incoming.
