Last season, Luka Doncic found himself at the center of criticism. Despite his numbers, the Dallas Mavericks traded him to the Lakers in exchange of Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a future first-round pick. As for the reason, other than the lack of defence, reports suggested that the team wasn’t satisfied with Doncic’s conditioning. That move felt sudden, even unnecessary to some. But behind closed doors, concerns about Luka’s effort and culture fit grew louder. Suddenly, the player once untouchable became the subject of intense scrutiny.

This offseason, Luka didn’t just answer back; he reinvented himself. He now starts his day with a 90-minute workout before eating anything. According to Men’s Health, “Macek took charge of the workouts—except Sundays, Dončić hit two per day.” His meals are carefully built around protein, sometimes reaching up to 250 grams. His nutritionist added, “The only quantity that we measure is the protein.” He’s cut out gluten and added salmon, berries, and nuts to reduce inflammation. With this, Luka is proving his determination to the Lakers, who have placed their faith in him, to the point of even potentially leaving LeBron James dissatisfied.

But how much does this shift actually mean? That’s what Bob Ryan and Gary Tanguay asked on their NBA podcast. Bob didn’t hesitate to draw a connection. “He’s 26 years old. He’s accomplished a lot, and he did it despite not being in tip-top shape.” Bob recalled Larry Bird facing similar doubts. Larry never looked chiseled, but after the ’86-’87 season, he returned in elite shape. He added, “86-’87 season — he went home, and he got in the best shape of his life”. 

The sad twist? It didn’t matter. Bob said, “He wanted to prolong his career… but he was hurt—back—you know, he tore—the heels… missed the whole year almost.”  Unfortunately, Bird’s body betrayed his ambition, and that’s the misery Luka is now reminded of. It seems Bob is warning the Lakers, “No conditioning is going to save you from a congenital back issue that I can — that I know about.”

Getting in shape doesn’t guarantee protection from fate. Still, the moment Bob remembered said it all. “Larry went up for an offensive rebound… and he stuffed—a two-handed stuff… I’ll never forget that dunk.” Now that all eyes are on Luka, fans will be wondering if there is a similar breakout waiting to happen.

Luka Doncic is learning the business side of the game

This version of Luka Doncic feels nothing like the one Dallas fans thought they knew. According to ESPN’s Tim MacMahon, “Luka is operating in a way, you know, in conjunction with the Lakers front office in ways that he never did in Dallas.” That change isn’t just a reaction to a new city. It’s the realization that stardom alone isn’t enough. According to Tim, “I think the shock of the trade has kind of woken Luka up to the importance of being business savvy in the NBA.”

The Lakers trade didn’t just alter his jersey. It shifted his mindset, too. Luka has now seemingly started treating the NBA like a business.

Gone is the laid-back star who stayed out of front office matters. Now, he’s involved in team building like never before. MacMahon said, “He had never been this kind of extension of the front office like he was, or like he has been—like he is right now—with Rob Pelinka and Jeanie Buss.”

Whether it’s recruiting Marcus Smart or lobbying for Deandre Ayton, Luka is making moves. It’s clear he wants more control over his basketball destiny.

Even his public image is changing. Luka has stepped out more in the media, which MacMahon noted by saying, “Luka’s done more media, I think, over the last week than maybe any full season of his career combined.” That’s not just a random shift, it’s intentional. It’s a message. Luka Doncic is showing that he’s not just a star on the court. He’s learning how power works off the court, too.

And the Lakers are clearly embracing that side of him. After all, it only further proves his commitment to the team.