The star guard says individual awards mean nothing without a ring.
Luka Doncic led the NBA in scoring this season and put together one of the best individual campaigns of his career, but none of that seems to matter to him right now.
The Los Angeles Lakers star suffered a Grade 2 left hamstring strain on April 2 that kept him out for the entire postseason, and he could only watch from the sideline as his team was swept by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference Semifinals.
The Lakers went 53-29, but the way things ended left a bad taste for everyone involved.
Not About the Trophies
Speaking with MARCA during a trip to Madrid this week, Doncic made it clear that personal awards are not what drive him.
"The media decides those awards," he said. "Of course I want to win every trophy, but the most important thing is winning the championship."
It is hard to argue that Doncic did not hold up his end this season.
Through 64 games, he averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists while shooting 47.6 percent from the field and 36.6 percent from three.
But the Lakers' season fell apart the moment he went down with the hamstring injury, and the front office now faces the question of how to avoid a repeat.
A Pivotal Summer Ahead
Doncic himself laid out what he thinks the roster needs.
"I always need shooters around me because defenses usually double-team me," he explained. "And athletic big men who can protect the rim and finish plays."
That lines up with what insiders have reported all spring.
Doncic has already told general manager Rob Pelinka that Jalen Duren, Walker Kessler, and Nic Claxton sit at the top of his wish list at center.
Denver's Peyton Watson, who averaged 14.6 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks this season, has also been constantly connected to the Lakers as a 3-and-D wing who could thrive next to Doncic without needing the ball.
The bigger question hanging over the franchise is LeBron James.
The 41-year-old is set to become a free agent and could retire, and his decision will shape every other move the front office makes this summer.
If James walks away, the Lakers will have more room to add pieces around Doncic, and the upcoming draft could also play a role in filling out the roster.
Retaining Austin Reaves is another priority, though the cost of his next contract could eat into the team's spending power.
For Doncic, none of the noise about cap numbers or roster construction changes the goal.
"Every offseason is important, but this one is even more so," he said. "We need a good team and good people in the locker room."
The Lakers need to build a team that can compete for a title, and their franchise player is not going to wait around forever for it to happen.
