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Story summary
Luka Doncic, 26, expressed confidence that the Los Angeles Lakers could win a championship since the first day he interacted with them in Slovenia. This sentiment aligns with recent comments from Lakers coach JJ Redick, who suggested the team could become a championship contender this season. Doncic played a key role in the team's roster moves last summer, advocating for players like Austin Reaves, signed to a four-year, $180 million contract (the richest undrafted player deal), and Walker Kessler, acquired from Utah through a sign-and-trade deal involving two unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps. The Lakers significantly revamped their roster by adding nine new players, aiming to bounce back after being swept in the playoffs by the Oklahoma City Thunder last May.
Written for “Lakers Championship Potential” on 2026-10-11,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Lakers coach JJ Redick raised eyebrows ahead of media day when he said the Lakers could become a championship-level team this season.
uncertain
Lakers → raise → day
Well, the franchise’s superstar echoes that sentiment.
asserted
superstar → echo → sentiment
When did Luka Doncic begin thinking that?
asserted
Doncic → begin → that
“Since the first day,” Doncic said at Lakers practice Saturday.
asserted
Doncic → say → practice
Since the first day everybody came together in Slovenia — except Cam [Carr] couldn’t make [it] — I believed that we can win a championship.”
asserted
we → come → championship
Doncic should feel that way.
asserted
Doncic → feel → way
He had his fingerprints all over the team’s roster moves last summer.
asserted
He → have → moves
The 26-year-old Doncic wanted to play alongside Austin Reaves, whom the Lakers signed to a four-year, $180 million contract.
asserted
Lakers → want → contract
the richest contract in NBA history for a player who went undrafted.
asserted
who → go → player
Doncic wanted Walker Kessler to be his franchise center.
asserted
Kessler → want → ?
The Lakers went on to acquire him in a sign-and-trade deal from Utah, giving up two unprotected first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps, signing him to a four-year, $130 million contract.
asserted
Lakers → go → contract
The Lakers added nine new players this offseason, completely overhauling their roster after they were swept out of the second round of the playoffs by the Thunder in May.
uncertain
they → add → May
Doncic was sidelined all of last postseason because of a strained left hamstring he suffered during a regular-season game against the Thunder on April 2.
asserted
he → sideline → April
In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Doncic recently acknowledged he regretted playing through the injury when it first began to bother him in the second quarter of that game.
asserted
it → acknowledge → game
After all, he thought the soaring Lakers who had gone on a 16-2 run had a chance to compete for the Larry O’Brien trophy back then, too.
asserted
who → think → trophy
“Obviously, I thought we had a team that could compete for a championship, so it was kind of disappointed, kind of let the team down,” Doncic said.
uncertain
Doncic → think → team
“So it’s definitely motivating for this season.
asserted
it → ’ → season
Doncic wants to win his first championship and catapult the 17-time championship Lakers back atop the league after they failed to get past the second round of the playoffs the last three years.
asserted
they → want → playoffs
They’ve gotten younger.
asserted
They → get → ?
They’ve gotten faster.
asserted
They → get → ?
And after LeBron James left for the 76ers in free agency last summer, the Lakers unequivocally became his team.
asserted
Lakers → leave → agency
He has taken that responsibility very seriously.
asserted
He → take → responsibility
For the first time in his career, Doncic hosted a minicamp in Slovenia in August, paying for the entire team to come to his home country so it could build chemistry ahead of the season.
uncertain
it → host → season
Apparently, his investment paid off.
asserted
investment → pay → ?
When they arrived and began scrimmaging, Doncic immediately began believing the Lakers could be special.
uncertain
Lakers → arrive → ?
So special, that he believes they have a chance to hang their 18th banner.
asserted
they → believe → banner
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