Luka Doncic put on a show at EuroBasket, leading the tournament in scoring with 34.7 points per game, while adding 8.6 rebounds and 7.1 assists. Despite Slovenia’s exit in the round of eight, Doncic’s play was the story of the event.
“Doncic was the best player at EuroBasket: 34.7 points a game (first in the tournament), 8.6 rebounds (eighth) and 7.1 assists (tied for second),” Dan Woike of The Athletic reported. “He may not win MVP because Slovenia was eliminated in the round of eight, but that was as far as he could carry this roster.”
Coming off a summer where his conditioning work went viral, Doncic looked locked in, and his form is already impacting the Lakers’ thinking. “The Lakers’ stance on roster improvements heading into this season has shifted because of the start of this new chapter together,” according to league and team sources.
One priority is adding wing depth, an area the Lakers know they need help. Woike specifically pointed to Miami’s Andrew Wiggins as a target. “A player like Miami’s Andrew Wiggins, whom the Lakers weren’t interested in earlier this summer, is now a more desirable player, provided the price is right,” Kurt Helin of NBC Sports wrote.
Wiggins averaged 18 points and 4.5 rebounds on 37.4 percent shooting from three last season. He is owed $28.2 million this year with a player option worth $30.2 million next year. Any potential trade would be complicated. Both the Heat and Lakers are hard-capped, and Los Angeles sits just $1.1 million under the first apron.
“…Any trade that sees the Heat shed salary and the Lakers take on Wiggins will have to involve a third team, likely Brooklyn (it has cap space),” Helin explained. “That’s a lot that has to come together.”
With LeBron James, Austin Reaves, and newcomers Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia, and Marcus Smart already in the mix, the Lakers want to see how this group looks.
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