After L.A. traded for Luka Doncic, some wondered whether he would wear the Purple and Gold long enough to become a Laker legend.

Now, the question is less about if Luka will become a franchise great, but when.

Today’s Lineup

🎉 Happy birthday to Matt Thomas, Miye Oni, and Mo Speights! 🎉

Around the Association

Luka Doncic inks three-year, $165M contract extension with Lakers

If we read this headline seven months ago, we’d probably think it was a joke. That’s just life in the NBA.

Over the weekend, Luka Doncic agreed to a three-year, $165M deal with the Lakers, ensuring that one of the most stunning trades in league history will have ramifications for years to come. Since dealing for Doncic earlier this year, L.A. has done everything they can to lock him down for the long haul. They finally got it done this weekend, signing Luka to a deal that keeps him out of free agency next summer and sets up a potential career-long partnership with the LakeShow.

Luka could have signed on for four years to the tune of $229 million, but he presumably took a shorter deal to fast-track his way to the most lucrative contract in league history. The third year of Doncic’s new deal is a player option, meaning he could negotiate a new contract in 2028 after his 10th year of service. That deal could be worth roughly $418 million over five years, making the Slovenian the first player in NBA history to make $80M in a single season.

If there’s something we’ve learned from this entire saga, it’s that nothing is predictable in basketball. But one thing’s now sure: you should get used to seeing Luka in a Lakers uniform.

Celtics minority owner purchases WNBA’s Connecticut Sun, plans to move team to Boston

In a period of rapid expansion in the WNBA, one existing team may be headed to a new city.

According to a report by ESPN, a group led by Celtics minority owner Stephen Pagliuca is set to buy the Connecticut Sun, who have called Uncasville, CT, home since 2003, for $325 million. What’s crazier? The group has plans to move the franchise to Boston, bringing one of the WNBA’s long-standing franchises to a major U.S. sports city.

The Sun have already played a few regular season games at Boston’s TD Garden over the last few years, but the league hasn’t been quick to approve the new ownership group’s intentions. In a statement, the WNBA said that team relocation decisions are made by the league’s board of governors, not by the teams themselves, and that new Celtics owner Bill Chisholm has already reached out to the WNBA about expansion into Beantown.

Only time will tell how things unfold, but we don’t doubt that one of the nation’s best sports towns would be ready to support a new basketball team. Everyone watches women’s sports!

Homecoming Part Two?

Dame rejoins Weber State as men’s basketball general manager

Damian Lillard made major headlines a few weeks ago when he announced his return to his professional home, Portland. Now, he’s returning to his college home too.

On Saturday, Lillard announced he would return to his alma mater as general manager of Weber State’s men’s basketball team, a role that has become highly valuable in modern college hoops as NIL and the transfer portal continue to change the game.

As GM, Dame will collaborate with the coaching staff and athletic department and help lift the program to new heights in the Big Sky Conference. Other high-profile college GMs include Steph Curry, who helms his former team at Davidson, and Adrian Wojnarowski, who left ESPN in 2024 to lead his alma mater, St. Bonaventure.

“I feel like I can do a lot to help the program be successful,” Dame said. “To help the players even individually continue to grow their careers past college, that’s something I’m passionate about.”

Lillard was unstoppable during his time with the Wildcats, winning Big Sky Player of the Year twice in his three seasons. Now, he’ll play a pivotal part in the program’s next generation. Congrats, Dame! 💜

Three in the Key

Signing Off

And we out! Thanks for spending a portion of your day with us. This week, try to be like Luka and take what life throws at you in stride. Change isn’t always expected, but sometimes it can lead to beautiful—and lucrative—new beginnings. See you soon!

Walker Carnathan