Yet Doncic is still eager to take on the biggest responsibility of his basketball career to date in the wake of LeBron James’ decision to leave LA.
asserted
Doncic → take → LA
“It’s like a new challenge.
asserted
It → ’ → challenge
I like challenges,” Doncic said Monday when the Lakers reported to training camp for media day.
asserted
Lakers → like → day
“I wouldn’t say I feel different, but I would say I feel honored.”
asserted
I → say → ?
Doncic is fully recovered from the hamstring injury that kept him off the court while James led the Lakers to the second round of the playoffs.
asserted
James → recover → playoffs
Doncic hasn’t played in an NBA game since April 2, and he took his recovery slowly during the summer to make sure he would have no restrictions when camp opened — because he knew the new-look Lakers have plenty of work to do in a short window.
asserted
Lakers → play → window
“It feels great,” Doncic said.
asserted
Doncic → feel → ?
“Obviously it’s a new challenge.
asserted
it → ’ → ?
I was in this position in my career a lot of times, so it’s not new to me.
asserted
it → ’ → me
But I feel great.
asserted
I → feel → ?
I feel excited.
asserted
I → feel → ?
I’m ready to go.
asserted
I → ’m → ?
It’s been a long time since I played basketball, so I’m ready.
asserted
I → play → basketball
Doncic understands and embraces the international importance of being the face of the Lakers’ global brand, but he also knows this particular team must quickly forge an identity after the departure of the top scorer in NBA history, along with several rotation players.
asserted
team → understand → players
Headlined by center Walker Kessler, the Lakers have nine new faces among the 16 players on NBA contracts in yet another year of massive turnover on their roster.
asserted
Lakers → headline → roster
General manager Rob Pelinka wants that turnover to slow over the next few years, so he signed several complementary players in the age group of Doncic and high-scoring guard Austin Reaves in the hope they’ll all grow together for the long term.
asserted
they → want → term
Along with Kessler, Los Angeles added Collin Sexton, Quentin Grimes, Sandro Mamukelashvili, Kevon Looney, Matisse Thybulle, Ziaire Williams and Jaden Hardy.
asserted
Angeles → add → Sexton
“I like everybody that we signed,” Doncic said.
asserted
Doncic → like → that
“I think there’s a lot of underrated guys.
asserted
I → think → guys
Got to spend some time with all of us off court, and now the training camp is going to help us a lot.
asserted
camp → get → us
Focus on basketball, get to know what we like on the court.
asserted
we → focus → court
I’m very excited to play with all of them.
asserted
I → ’m → them
The biggest key is Kessler, whose rim protection and lob finishing appears to be exactly what Doncic has always wanted in a big man.
asserted
Doncic → appear → man
Doncic acknowledges he was advocating strongly for Kessler’s acquisition.
asserted
he → acknowledge → acquisition
“I’ve played a lot of games against Walk,” former Mavericks guard Doncic said of former Jazz center Kessler.
asserted
Doncic → play → Kessler
“It was always tough to play against him.
asserted
It → play → him
So I really wanted him.
asserted
I → want → him
I think the organization wanted him.
asserted
organization → think → him
I wanted him.
asserted
I → want → him
All of the players wanted him.
asserted
All → want → him
I think it’s an amazing fit for us.
asserted
it → think → us
(He’s) obviously a rim protector, but then the offense, he improved so much.
asserted
he → ’ → ?
He’s going to help us a lot.”
asserted
He → go → us
Doncic and James didn’t find a winning groove in their first half-season together, and Doncic had to begin last season without James, who was sidelined by sciatica for the first 14 games.
asserted
who → find → games
Doncic confidently seized the Lakers’ reins with an early-season scoring barrage that never let up even when James got healthy, allowing him to win his second NBA scoring title in three seasons at 33.5 points per game.
asserted
him → seize → game
But Doncic only played in 64 games last season, and his close friend Reaves only appeared in 51.
asserted
friend → play → 51
If the Lakers are going to grow into a contender, both guards know they need to be on the court regularly — and they must be connected with their teammates.
asserted
they → go → teammates
Doncic took his first major step as the Lakers’ primary leader during the summer when he organized a team trip to his native Slovenia.
asserted
he → take → Slovenia
Every veteran made the journey, and Doncic took them golfing, bowling and rowing when they weren’t hooping, going out to dinner or just goofing around.
asserted
they → make → dinner
“We were moving like the president out there,” Jake LaRavia said of the excited crowds who followed the Lakers in Ljubljana and the surrounding environs.
asserted
who → move → Ljubljana
…and 4 more, not listed.
The Aporia
