The history of the Los Angeles-based team will never allow them to look for less. The board is always hungry for the championship, and rightly so with 17 titles under the belt. But the current Lakers team is struggling to establish itself as a legitimate championship contender. Despite having LeBron James and Anthony Davis, two of the league’s biggest stars, the Lakers haven’t looked like a serious threat to win it all this season. And the management is known for taking hard calls. Be it firing coaches or going all out for promising talents. So did Dwyane Wade predict the Doncic move more than a month ago?

The Lakers have been inconsistent in their game. With occasional brilliance, they now suffer from poor defense, lack of shooting, and depth issues. Their record hasn’t been average, and they’ve lost games they should have won. While LeBron is still playing at an elite level at a harrowingly close age to 40, he can’t do it all without better support from the roster. Another player, Anthony Davis, has been solid too, but health and inconsistency have been major concerns. Poor guy had to face the axe, especially from a team he gave his best. But was it on cards?

Speaking on his podcast, which he later shared on his IG, D-Wade said, “As a fan of the game, I’m not looking at the LAkers are saying, ‘They’re gonna win a championship’ So the habits that are being built are….for the habits that build the culture of what JJ has said beforehand that coaching staff.” Let’s be real here, Dwyane Wade just said what a lot of fans have been thinking, that this isn’t a championship team. And the Lakers might make some move, and eventually they did.

The recent move between the Lakers and Mavericks has taken the NBA world out of the blue. From Shaquille O’Neal’s silent acceptance of the situation to Paul Pierce’s assertion that it was a “bad move”, everybody is talking about it. And in between all of these, the old comments by Dwyane Wade do make some sense now given the Lakers’ past. But only time will tell if the bold move by the JJ-led team will yield any result. If not, there might be a shuffle again, because that’s how they work with hunger under their belly.

 The Lakers seem happy with their trade, but the world continues to talk about it

The purple and gold pulled off a blockbuster trade that nobody saw coming. Luka Doncic is now a Laker. The trade has sent shockwaves through the NBA. In a move straight out of a fantasy draft, the Lakers sent their superstars, Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick to Dallas in exchange for Doncic, plus Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris for good measure. And only time will tell if the gamble works out for them. 

Now, since the dust and shock have settled, more or less. Let’s talk about the trade for Anthony Davis. Davis was monumental in delivering the Lakers their 2020 championship. And it does hurt fans to see the star leaving. Albeit a little cruel, it is a step in the right direction considering the injury record he has and with an aging starting line-up, the franchise wanted to liven up the squad and get younger; building for both now and the future. And the Mavericks, on the other hand, will use his experience to get their hands on the championship.

Also, Doncic is a generational talent. One doesn’t pass opportunities to snag a 25-year-old who is already an MVP candidate. One might ask now, since the Dwayne Wade comment if this makes the Lakers instant title favorites. This depends. Mostly on the chemistry between LeBron and the young guy, as they’re both players who dominate on the ball. And now, if they figure out a way to complement each other, they will be a force to be reckoned with.