Luka Dončić’s physical transformation was a process in the works even before the Dallas Mavericks decided to trade him to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Per The Athletic’s Dan Woike, Dončić’s inner circle felt he was on a path to changing his body going back to 2023 when he hired Anže Maček and Javier Barrio as his “body” team:
“The belief among Dončić’s team was, to some degree, that as he matured as an NBA professional, he’d adopt some better habits and completely buy into a stricter strength and conditioning program instead of the more competition-driven approach he’d been comfortable with. But improvement isn’t always linear, and Dončić suffered a number of physical setbacks in 2024 that certainly made it easier for the Mavericks to explore options other than handing him a blank check mega-extension.”
Even though the 2023-24 season was a huge success for the Mavs, resulting in them advancing to the NBA Finals, things weren’t copacetic within the building between Dončić and general manager Nico Harrison.
Per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, Harrison “was concerned Dončić had still gained weight during the season while carrying the heavy workload.”
Things came to a head last season when Dončić struggled with injuries early in the year. He missed 27 of the Mavs’ first 49 games primarily due to a strained calf prior to being traded to Los Angeles on Feb. 2.
MacMahon noted immediately after the deal went through that Dallas was “motivated” to move Dončić due to his “constant conditioning concerns” that the club felt played a major role in his injury issues.
Since the Lakers’ season ended in April with a first-round series playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, all eyes have been on Dončić’s physique. He has looked slimmer in pictures that came out and was recently the subject of a cover story for Men’s Health talking about his offseason workout and diet routine.
Even though Dončić had been working with a team in past years to get himself ready for the season and keep him healthy during the season, he did tell Andrew Heffernan and Ebenezer Samuel for the magazine he has felt additional motivation this summer.
“So every summer I try my best to work on different things,” Dončić said. “Obviously, I’m very competitive. This summer was just a little bit different, you know. It kind of motivated me to be even better.”
Whether or not the Mavs’ decision and Harrison’s rationale served as the impetus for Dončić to focus on his body in a way he may not have previously, there certainly seems to be a level of focus for him to send a message to the rest of the NBA.
Considering Dončić already had five All-NBA first-team selections and five top-10 MVP finishes under his belt by the time he turned 25, a newly-motivated version of him going into next season is good news for the Lakers.