Ex-Super Bowl champ makes major claim about Luka Doncic’s future as Laker

The sixth-seeded Minnesota Timberwolves are pulling off an upset over Luka Doncic and the third-seeded LA Lakers. With their backs against the wall, LA must answer some questions about their future, such as whether Doncic fits the bill as the franchise’s future face.

On Tuesday’s episode of “Speak,” Keyshawn Johnson – a former NFL wide receiver and Super Bowl champion – expressed that Doncic is the ideal fit for LA, despite playful interruptions from co-host Paul Pierce.

“Initially, it was about getting Luka for the future,” Johnson said. “The future is gonna be bright for us and then we start playing well.

Johnson said that because LA started to do well after Doncic’s acquisition, it was seen as both a win-now move and one that secured the franchise’s future. However, the team’s playoff struggles place the “win-now” aspect in jeopardy.

“So, it’s not a bad fit moving forward. It might be a bad fit based on the construction of the roster right now,” Johnson added. “But, tomorrow, it’s gonna be totally different.”

Luka Doncic has faced some criticism as the LA Lakers are on the verge of being eliminated. The most prevalent are questions regarding his defensive effort and whether he can be the person who’ll lead the historic LA franchise after the LeBron James era.

Also read: NBA analyst rips into Luka Doncic’s lackluster defense amid Lakers’ struggling playoff run: “It’s laughable”

Paul Pierce believes Luka Doncic is right for the Lakers but the roster is not

Speak co-host Paul Pierce also got his chance to share his thoughts regarding Luka Doncic’s fit with the LA Lakers. Pierce believes that Doncic fits in with the franchise, but there’s some work to be done before they can win.

“Luka is the absolute right fit for the Lakers,” Pierce said.

The 2008 NBA champion added that Luka Doncic essentially secures LA’s future, a team that’s always had a superstar-caliber talent. However, the former thinks the Slovenian does not have the right roster around him to help him succeed just yet.

Building around Luka Doncic will become a priority for the LA Lakers moving forward. Considering his play style, Doncic will benefit from having teammates who contribute without the ball in their hands.

He needs defenders to shore up his lackluster effort on that end of the ball. He needs athletes whom he can target with his creative playmaking and he needs floor spacers — a point that Pierce made as he discussed Luka Doncic’s fit.

Even after LeBron James retires, LA still has a superstar. A superstar who will help attract players who want to play for a winning organization.

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alt=”Miguel de Guzman” height=”72″ width=”72″>

Miguel is a basketball writer at Sportskeeda with an overall experience of 7 years. A lover of the sport owing to its mental aspect, he has played it throughout high school and college as a power forward and small forward, and has also coached high school and college basketball teams. These experiences have given him a unique perspective on the game, which translates into insightful content.

For Miguel, the San Antonio Spurs, especially during the Tim Duncan era, were the embodiment of team basketball. He respects Gregg Popovich’s empathy toward his players and his understanding of the game. The Spurs’ titles, Kobe Bryant’s poignant “Dear Basketball” tribute, Derrick Rose’s remarkable 50-point game with Minnesota and Magic Johnson’s remarkable comeback are among Miguel’s top basketball moments.

For his articles, he conducts thorough research, cross verifies information with at least three sources, and sometimes sacrifices speed for accuracy. Content simplification and maintaining a neutral view on topics are his strengths.

Miguel follows other sports, particularly the NFL, and when not working he enjoys hobbies like cooking and playing video games.

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Edited by William Paul