Nuggets' $276,122,630 champ hails Luka Doncic as "player for the big scene" following Lakers trade

It has been a couple of days since Luka Doncic's historic trade to the Los Angeles Lakers was announced and the gravity of the move is finally setting in. One of the league's biggest superstars will be moving to the entertainment capital of the the world to partner with LeBron James and play for one of the NBA's most storied franchises.

Denver Nuggets champion and three-time MVP Nikola Jokic spoke on the magnitude of Saturday's trade, and believes the Doncic is a good fit for Los Angeles.

"I think he is going to do a good job, I think he is the player for the big scene," said Jokic.

There are few locations in the sports world bigger than Los Angeles. Playing for the Lakers in one of the biggest sports markets in the country will bring a lot of pressure, and Luka Doncic has proven year after year that he can shine under the spotlight.

Over the last 50 years, the Lakers have gone on to win 10 championships with Hall of Fame talents like Jerry West, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant taking the court for the franchise. Only the Boston Celtics have more titles than the Lakers.

Nikola Jokic is a close friend of Doncic and understands what it means to constantly be in the public eye. The Serbian center has developed into one of the league's most popular players after winning three MVP awards and leading the Denver Nuggets to an NBA championship.

In 2022, Jokic signed a lucrative five-year extension worth $276,122,630 with the Denver Nuggets, which made him one of the highest paid players in the league. Per Spotrac, he is set to earn a salary of 51,415,938 over the 2024-25 season.

Nikola Jokic speaks of business side of NBA after Luka Doncic's trade to Los Angeles Lakers

Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic speaks with Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic at American Airlines Center. Photo Credit: Imagn

The Dallas Mavericks decision to trade Luka Doncic came as a shock to the basketball community with many stunned that the organization would even consider trading one of the league's generational talents in his prime. The move came as a surprise to many NBA players, and even Luka Doncic himself was reportedly unaware that he was a potential trade candidate.

Jokic echoed the sentiments of many NBA players on Monday when he spoke about the business aspects that were involved with the deal.

"I think he didn't expect it of course," said Jokic. "It is a business. I think nobody expected it, especially not him. I think nobody is safe in the league."

Jokic went on to say that he thought Doncic had "something special" with the Mavericks and that the Nuggets center himself seemed surprised by the decision.

Following the trade, Phoenix Suns All-Star Devin Booker also addressed the business side of the deal, and spoke about how he felt Doncic was "untradable."

"It's crazy man. Luka being a guy that everyone has claimed is untouchable and untradable," said Booker. "NBA shows you again. Can't predict it. It's a business. They are always having a conversation about you. So don't think you are safe at any point."

On Saturday, Suns forward Kevin Durant also made the following statement:

"If he can get traded then anybody’s up."