LeBron James, surprised by Doncic’s trade, sees ‘perfect transition’


Los Angeles-When LeBron James left the first quarter of the eventual 122-97 victory on Tuesday over the Clippers and marched to his usual seat towards the end of the Bank of the Lakers, there was a new teammate superstar sitting next to him in The spot Anthony Davis occupied for years.

NBA’s talent tourniquet landed Luka Doncic in Los Angeles during the weekend in an exchange that sent shock waves through the league. Only now, after initially believing the trade of three teams between the Lakers, Dallas Mavericks and Utah Jazz was a “deception”, and after processing not having Davis next to him after six seasons as teammates, he finally began to Participate in James.

“It still didn’t seem real until I saw Luka today and I saw an advertisement in Dallas Shootound,” James said after the game. “That’s when he finally hit me, as, ‘oh s —, this is real'”.

The fact that James was making his first public comments on trade in the Lakers costumes in Intuit Dome, explained the 22 -year -old veteran, was evidence of his acceptance.

“If I had concerns about it, I would quit my non -trade clause and get up from here,” James said. “I am here right now. I am here right now. I am committed to the Lakers organization.

“As the team leader, as one of the team’s captains, is my job to do as fluid as possible. [for the new acquisitions]”

James detailed his dinner at night after the victory of the Lakers in the New York Knicks on Saturday, when he first heard the news of the team by sending Davis, Max Christie and Jalen Hood-Schifino and a future selection of selection of First round to bring Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris.

“My emotions were everywhere, obviously,” James said. “We had just left a great victory. A great victory in the garden. I was out. I mean, you have seen the report. I was with my family at dinner and I got the news and the first time I heard it. I thought that It was false.

When asked about the video call with Davis, James said: “It was definitely a strange, uncomfortable moment, of truth for us. Just knowing that it was going to disappear, that was very, very difficult. Very challenging. I can see how inside Shock, obviously, and probably saw it from my face too. “

James said that the unprecedented exchange caught him off guard, it was the first time in history that two current NBA players changed each other in the middle of the season, but that he could understand the motivation for the Lakers.

“It was shocking when I heard the news, but at the end of the day, I understand the basketball business,” he said. “But I didn’t make the decision.”

James’s chemistry with Davis was evident from the beginning, since they won a championship together in their first season in 2019-20.

While some have suggested that there will be a redundancy in the positional responsibilities between him and Doncic, James mocked the notion.

“[We can be] Whatever we want to be, “James said.” It won’t take long. I can play with anyone, and I think he can too. So, we will work well together. “

The former James coach with the Cleveland Cavaliers, Tyronn Lue of the Clippers, said the same.

“I don’t see that it will be a problem at all,” said Lue. “[Lakers coach] JJ [Redick] Will do a good job staggering those guys, as we did with Kyrie [Irving] and LeBron for three quarters and then close the games together.

“It is not a difficult problem to have.”

They are the Lakers that cause problems for opponents at this time, with victories in nine of their last 11 games to go up to a game behind Nuggets No. 4 of Denver in the classification of the West Conference. And that increase will soon feature the 25 -year -old Dynamo in Doncic, with sources that tell ESPN that Doncic is “tending” to make his debut in the Lakers debut on Saturday against the Indiana Peers of Indiana visitors.

“Luka has been my favorite player in the NBA for a while,” James said. “I think you know it. And I have always tried to play the game in the right way and inspire the next generation. And Luka is one of them. And now we are teammates. So, it will be a very perfect transition” .



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