Luka Dončić is now Lakers’ latest franchisee, but it is clear that the superstar needs a little to feel at home

El Segundo, California – it was a well -known view of a well -known place, but something was missing.

Pomp and circumstance were present at the Lakers plant, complete with the Larry O’Brien trophies, who looked over the practice of practice, certainly shone up to look even more golden for the apartment.

And the bus family was scattered around, team governor Jeanie Buss stood distant in the shadows while her brother, Jim Buss, sat on the other side, Hat pulled down over his face.

The number of retired lacquer jerseys threatened the walls, the perfect background.

But the muted look on Luka Dončić’s face showed the reality of this. Not that the cold of it had anything to do with Lakers, not to Dončić.

But it hung in the air in the morning, at the 20-minute news conference, and it was uttered in corners in the few moments after, people behind the scenes continued:

“It’s a business.”

Usually, when Lakers introduces their latest star, whether by draft or signature or trade, he is all smiling, bathed in tradition and the dignitors who are eager to add Lakers Lore.

It is their choice, their destination, their happiness. The business is on the background, not the forefront.

“It’s a gift,” said Laker’s president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka. “You are talking about a 25-year-old who is a top-three player in the universe. I can’t think of a more amazing starting point for building a list of the next decade. “

Shaquille O’Neal was a top three player when he arrived in Los Angeles, then Kareem was Abdul-Jabbar, it was also LeBron James. These gifts happen to this franchise, and Lakers are not shocked when luck smiles at them.

But you didn’t get the feeling that Dončić was dissatisfied with being in Los Angeles, with Lakers, with James. It felt very touching and sincere when he mentioned the deceased Kobe Bryant and his daughter, Gigi, and wanted them to be here to see this.

He just seemed distracted, still in shock – to be fair, the whole sports world is still frozen in time.

“I mean everyone was surprised, you can imagine how surprised I was,” Dončić said. “I almost slept, so when I got a call, I had to check (if) it was April 1st. I couldn’t believe it. It was hard moments for me. It was home. “

When he came with the April Fools commentary, it didn’t really feel like a joke, though polite laughter followed. The only way he could have been traded was of a cruel practical joke, or someone who was hacked or prank -call – that’s what he derived.

Each time he mentioned discomfort, he tried to dampen the feelings of his new home by complimenting the franchise by mentioning his breath and the sea, which is not far from his new graves. He was careful not to offend, but it is clear that he is still much treatment of being at the business end of a transaction that has as many amazed as they are excited.

His body language was noticeable, so Pelinka had to note Dončić is a tough competitor on the floor while appearing lowly out of it.

“I know here that he may seem calm and relaxed and quiet, but we know that the altar ego is coming out,” said Pelinka. “I know he has driven to win as we have here. Our fans will see it every night on the field. “

It was even weird to get Pelinka to talk about the secret character of his meetings with Mavs GM Nico Harrison, who began about three weeks ago with Mavericks approaching Lakers. Pelinka complimented Harrison about what made Dončić feel every piece of heart bridge and betrayal written on his face.

“And when the concept was originally introduced to us, it was,” Hi, the only way we can even have these discussions was, if it’s between the owner and GMS, “Pelinka said. “And there was a commitment to it, and if we broke this commitment by talking to someone else, this day would never happen. So I think trust was at the center of all these discussions. “

Trust is what was broken between Dončić and Mavericks, or even franchisee and employer, in the general sense. Had Dončić and his representation found out the trade negotiations, Pelinka is probably correct: the deal would have been blown up before he reached the finish line.

But in this scenario, at least for Dončić, he would have had some agency in it, somehow lobbying to stay in the place he would remain in his career, or to repair fences if it at all was possible.

However, it is clear that Dončić feels a way of what has been whispered that he is coming out of Dallas over the past few days. His conditioning and habits that keep his weight on a place that allows him to stay on the floor for a whole season and even his wishes to sign a five-year extension worth over $ 350 million this season as It was expected to be presented to him.

“Definitely not,” he said flat when asked if he had given any indication that he would not sign the Super-Max extension.

When a trade in this size happens, it becomes a struggle for rhetoric and control of the narrative. The truth is rarely so clean and clear, rarely so one -sided that there is a real villain and victim.

It all depends on perspective, but what’s clear from Dončic’s first words was how shocked he was to be here, the first Tuesday of February – and it will take a while for it to feel like home.