Luka Dončić and Trae Young will always have a connection. They are part of the same 2018 draft class, were traded for each other on draft night, and Luka’s single greatest scoring performance, when he scored 73 points, came against Young and the Hawks.
“Obviously, we came [into the league] together, we got traded for each other,” Luka said. “There’s been a lot of talk about me and him. We have a good relationship. I have a lot of respect for him. If he’s excited for this new journey, I’m excited for him.”
There is a bit of a rivalry between these two stars, for fans at least, given the trade that took place on Draft Night. Still, based on Luka’s comments, it seems that’s more outside noise than how they feel about each other.
It’s great to hear Luka supporting his NBA peer. After all, if anyone can understand the transition Young is about to go through, it’s Dončić.
They both likely thought they’d spend their entire careers in one spot. Or, at the very least, figured they would’ve had a lot more control if they ever were to be moved.
Now they have another commonality: leaving one franchise and looking to continue their legacy at a new destination.
Staying with the same team is rare. Luka has adjusted well to being a Laker, and now we’ll see if Trae can do the same in Washington as a Wizard.
It won’t be long before Young and Dončić face each other in a game. The Lakers take on the Wizards on Jan. 30 in Washington. Hopefully, Young and Dončić are both available for that matchup, and we can see the next chapter of the Luka-Trae saga begin.