Stephen A. Smith Envisions Motivated Luka Doncic Playing With 'Chip on His Shoulder'

How good can a newly motivated Doncic be?

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic poses for photos with general manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick at UCLA Health Training Center. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Luka Doncic is 25 years-old and universally recognized as one of the best players in the NBA who has unlimited potential and yet all that wasn't enough to keep him with the Dallas Mavericks. On one hand, it's a move that will cost him some money in the short term and a real blow to the system because why wouldn't he think his future in Texas was entirely secure. On the other, the young superstar has an opportunity to seize on a tremendous amount of newfound motivation to prove a point over and over again for a decade-plus.

Stephen A. Smith, noticing the way Doncic and his father have responded to the blockbuster move, says we need to pay attention to the new Los Angeles Laker as he embarks a new phase of his career.

"He's going to have a huge, huge chip on his shoulder," Smith said.

"We need to pay attention to Luka Doncic." 😯 @stephenasmith says Luka will have a "chip on his shoulder" with the Lakers after being "unceremoniously dismissed" from the Mavericks 👀 pic.twitter.com/tvgKH0j0Tx

— First Take (@FirstTake) February 5, 2025

"When you consider the talent that he's bringing to the table as a 25-year-old, he's quietly basically saying 'Beware, here I come,'" Smith added. "He was unceremoniously dismissed and his mentality appears to be 'Somebody's going to pay for that.'"

The best part about this for Doncic is that he can hit the ground running. Within a few games with the Lakers he'll do something incredible and then the conversation will shift back to how incredible of a player he is and will continue to be. He also gets an immediate upgrade in terms of being on a team that's secure in the Western Conference playoff picture and no team will want to face in a series.

And behind this all is the idea that he was this good while being less than motivated. Which is downright scary because what does a locked-in, slimmed down, angry-at-the-world Donic look like?

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