Austin Reaves Says Luka Doncic Was 'Sheltered' After Trade to Lakers, 'We Didn't Really Speak'

Even though Luka Dončić didn't take long to acclimate to the Los Angeles Lakers on the court after the surprise trade from the Dallas Mavericks, he wasn't as open and outgoing behind the scenes.

Speaking to Sports Illustrated 's Chris Mannix , Austin Reaves recalled Dončić being "sheltered" during his early days with the Lakers.

"He was kind of sheltered," Reaves said. "For basically most of the rest of that year, we didn't really speak to each other that much. I know he was going through stuff as far as the trade and being disappointed. I was never going to be the type of guy to force a friendship, so I let that build naturally."

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It's unclear exactly when Dončić came out of his shell, but one reasonable assumption would be around August 2025 when he committed to the Lakers by signing a three-year, $165 million extension.

There was reportedly some concern within the Lakers about whether or not Dončić would extend, so getting it out of the way had to be a huge sigh of relief.

During his first full season with the Lakers, Dončić and Reaves were closely bonded. Their dynamic was described by people in the organization as a "bromance" built on a shared love of trash talk and teasing.

Dončić's performance on the court during the 2025-26 season seemed to indicate he was more comfortable in Los Angeles. He averaged 33.5 points, his second-highest total in a single season, and 8.3 assists per game in 64 starts.

The departure of LeBron James in free agency this offseason left no doubt that Dončić is the face of the Lakers franchise. Everything they are doing is built around his strengths.

One thing the Lakers did to help make sure Dončić remains comfortable and happy is signing Reaves to a four-year, $185 million contract this summer to keep the bromance going.

Dončić, Reaves and the Lakers will open the 2026-27 regular season against the Golden State Warriors on Oct. 21.