Adam Silver Says Luka Doncic Trade Was ‘Kick In the A--’ to Lakers Star

Jun 5, 2025; Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, USA; NBA commissioner Adam Silver speaks to the media before game one between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Indiana Pacers in the 2025 NBA Finals at Paycom Center. Mandatory Credit: Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images | Alonzo Adams-Imagn Images

Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic is ready for the challenge.

After being traded away from the team he expected to end his career with, Doncic had somewhat of a difficult last stanza in 2024-25. He was questioned from various outlets over his perceived lack of conditioning. The Lakers crashed out in the first round of the playoffs to the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games, and questions still persist as to the fit of Doncic alongside LeBron James.

Jason Gay of The Wall Street Journal recently wrote a lengthy piece on Doncic and the narrative that the star player is about to have a 'revenge tour' given his newfound svelte frame as well as the fact that enough time has presumably passed for the shock of the trade to wear away.

LUKA DONČIĆ: EuroBasket 2025 All-Star Five 🗣️ pic.twitter.com/zH1oHPYVJ3

— Los Angeles Lakers (@Lakers) September 14, 2025

He specifically got some intriguing quotes from NBA commissioner Adam Silver on the famed player. Silver was very candid in breaking down how he felt about the transaction in general.

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“Putting aside the merits of the trade, you could argue that it was a bit of a kick in the a** to [Doncic]. He didn’t try to sugarcoat this trade.

“Another player could have said, ‘Oh, now I’m part of the Los Angeles Lakers organization,’ ” he continues. “He didn’t try to hide his disappointment, and I think he was in a bit of a funk for a while, because it was probably the first true professional setback of his career. And I was hoping personally for him that he would ultimately see this as an opportunity to reset.”

Luka Doncic is scoring 36.89 percent of his team's points at the Eurobasket.

For context: That's more than MJ in any of his NBA years. (Only Wilt beats that percentage in two seasons).

Also: Doncic leads Slovenia in rebounds, assists, blocks and steals.

Historical carry job. pic.twitter.com/iVx91rP8Q2

— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) September 7, 2025

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While the Lakers are considered universally to be a playoff contender this year — likely at best figuring to be the fourth-best team in the Western Conference (behind the Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets, and the Oklahoma City Thunder.

There should be plenty of motivation for Doncic to prove some of the proverbial haters wrong — and that includes the Dallas front office that dealt him away for an injury-prone Anthony Davis.

Based on his play at EuroBasket this summer in which he virtually carried his native Slovenia in every single contest, those who bleed Purple and Gold should strap in for a very electric Doncic year.

For more news and notes on the Los Angeles Lakers, visit Los Angeles Lakers on SI.