Los Angeles Lakers owner Jeanie Buss expressed her excitement in her first public statement since they acquired Luka Dončić from the Dallas Mavericks.
Getty: (L-R) Jeanie Buss and Kate Hudson attend Netflix’s “Running Point” LA Premiere at The Egyptian Theatre Hollywood on February 13, 2025.
“Luka is a very special player,” Buss said in an interview with Entertainment Tonight during the premiere of Netflix’s “Running Point” on Feb. 13. “We’re thrilled to have him as part of the Laker team, but we had to give up a lot to get him. And we’re going to miss Anthony Davis and Max Christie.”
The Lakers also sent their 2029 first-round pick to the Mavericks as part of the deal, which drew an overwhelming reaction that the Mavericks could have gotten more had they informed the rest of the NBA that Dončić was available.
In the 25-year-old Dončić, the Lakers got their face of the franchise for the next decade. It also became the envy around the NBA as Jeanie continued his father, Dr. Jerry Buss’ long-held tradition of landing generational superstars from Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant to LeBron James and now Dončić.
Luka Dončić Trade Offer Too Good To Pass Up
Buss was “extraordinarily excited and hopeful” revealed Rob Pelinka, the Lakers vice president of basketball operations and general manager, when he informed her for the first time of the Mavericks’ offer to trade Dončić.
“And when the concept was initially introduced to us, it was, hey, the only way we can even have these discussions was if it’s between owner and GMs. And there was a commitment to that,” Pelinka said during Dončić’s introductory press conference on Feb. 4. “And if we broke that commitment by talking to anyone else, this day would never happen. I think trust was at the center of all those discussions.
“And I called Jeanie after the coffee in Dallas and brought her in immediately, as I do with everything. Her and I have a really strong working relationship, and the fabric of that is that we share things in real time. And she was extraordinarily excited and hopeful that we could get to the end, which we were able to do.”
While Buss was saddened to let Davis and Christie go, she looked at the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire a generational star like Dončić as too good to pass up.
“It’s like you’re always trying to improve the team, get a little bit better and ultimately win a championship,” Buss told Entertainment Tonight.
https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js
Lakers Still Have Work To Do
The Lakers, however, are far from a finished product after their shocking midseason acquisition of Dončić. They still have a massive hole in the middle which they need to fill after losing Davis, an All-NBA defensive center in the deal.
The Lakers tried to fill that void by aggressively trading for Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams. But the trade has since been rescinded after they found out multiple issues on the 23-year-old center’s physical not related to his back issue, which limited him to only 19 games last season.
They settled with 12-year veteran center Alex Len, who looked underwhelming in his Lakers debut.
The Lakers can still waive one more player to sign another center, but the free agent and buyout market has already dried up. Their best bet to get Dončić’s lob partner will be in the offseason.
News
Unseen photos of Jennifer Aniston sh0ck fans: The beloved “Friends” star melts hearts with an ultra-rare childhood photo she posted – A side of Jen the world has never seen before. Don’t miss this surprising glimpse into the early life of one of the ‘90s most cherished TV icons!
This award-winning actress, who starred in one of the most beloved sitcoms in the ’90s, looked adorable in a rare…
H0T: Jennifer Aniston shows off her incredible body in string bikini on Cabo vacation with her pals – You won’t want to miss those photo
Jennifer Aniston showcased her incredible age-defying body while sporting a tiny string bikini for her annual trip to Cabo, Mexico with her pals…
Sh0cking Revelation Behind the Camera: Jennifer Aniston Dares to Bare All in Steamy, Unfiltered ‘HOT’ Scene — Hollywood Icon Opens Up About Embracing Her Wild Side, Calling Herself a ‘Seasoned Pro’ in Intimate Roles, Leaving Fans Stunned, Curious, and Desperate to Know What Really Happened On Set!
Jennifer Aniston broke a Hollywood standard during her sex scene with Jon Hamm. The star explained what it was like…
Jennifer Aniston Stuns the Entire Internet with Confession: Fans Have Approached Her Mid-Shower, in ‘Completely Naked’ state Just to Talk About “Friends” — And That’s Not Even the Weirdest Encounter she had!
Jennifer Aniston Admits She’s Been ‘Completely Naked’ And In Other Weird Situations When Fans Want To Talk To Her About…
Jennifer Aniston Stuns Fans with Unbelievable Revelation: The Iconic Friends Star Opens Up About an Awkward, Unexpected, and Completely Naked Run-In That Left Everyone Speechless
Jennifer Aniston reveals ‘completely naked’ encounter with fans Jennifer Aniston was “completely naked” in a sauna when fans decided to…
SH0CKING: Jennifer Aniston Explodes in Outrage as sh0cking 2021 Clip Resurfaces: Actress Slams VP Candidate JD Vance for “Childless Cat Ladies” Remark – The Internet Erupts as Aniston’s Bold Words Light a Firestorm
Jennifer Aniston slams VP candidate JD Vance for calling women without kids ‘childless cat ladies’ Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds…
End of content
No more pages to load