The Los Angeles Lakers have acquired a superstar who's soon to enter their prime. Moreover, Los Angeles has added a player who has achieved more over the past four seasons than the Lakers themselves, twice knocking on the door of championship glory.
Doncic committed to a future with the franchise by [signing a three-year extension](https://lakeshowlife.com/lakers-next-move-painfully-obvious-luka-doncic-extension), but his comments to Rob Pelinka and company sent a message that can't be ignored.
Doncic, 26, was blindsided by a trade from the Dallas Mavericks to the Lakers in February. Dallas parted with its long-time franchise player less than 10 months after he had them playing in the NBA Finals for the first time in 13 years.
According to [Dave McMenamin of ESPN](https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/45900688/how-lakers-build-luka-fits-options-lebron-future), Doncic minced no words when he told the front office that he's trying to get back to the NBA Finals—and patience isn't on his mind.
"I don't want to wait," Doncic told the table, a source familiar with the conversation told ESPN. "I had a taste of the Finals. I am getting back there. So, let's do whatever we can now."
Unwillingly traded from Dallas to Los Angeles, Doncic is looking to pick up where he left off—and the front office must now learn from past mistakes to make that dream a reality.
Luka Doncic doesn't "want to wait" to return to NBA Finals
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Doncic has accomplished almost everything shy of winning a championship. He's a five-time All-NBA First Team honoree, won the scoring title as recently as 2023-24, and even has a EuroBasket gold medal to complement the EuroLeague championship and MVP award he won at just 19 years of age.
Furthermore, Doncic not only led Dallas to the 2024 NBA Finals, but took it to the 2022 Western Conference Finals—where it lost to the eventual champion in the Golden State Warriors.
Accustomed to success and seemingly destined to become an NBA champion, Doncic is looking to realize that dream. Moreover, he appears aware of how the Lakers have failed to capitalize on winning the title in 2020 and is thus unwilling to forgive a refusal to display a sense of urgency.
Thankfully, Los Angeles has the foundation for a remarkable first full season with Doncic running the show with the ultimate co-star in LeBron James.
James, a four-time NBA champion, delivered the Lakers' first title in 10 years during the 2019-20 campaign. He also helped guide Los Angeles to the 2023 Western Conference Finals, thus displaying the ability to win at the highest level during a relatively recent period of time.
With James soon to turn 41 and retirement an annual topic of conversation, however, Doncic's sense of urgency is understandable.
With no precedent for James' greatness and the threat of retirement looming, Doncic wants to capitalize on the unique opportunity to co-star with one of the best players in NBA history. He's already made two deep playoff runs with Jalen Brunson and Kyrie Irving, respectively, in the process display a willingness to defer.
The question is: Can the Lakers provide Doncic and James with enough support to help them realize their dream of delivering the franchise's 18th championship?