
After the Mavericks traded the star to the Los Angeles Lakers, Luka Doncic’s jersey number was made public….
The Los Angeles Lakers have officially added Luka Doncic to the roster – along with Markieff Morris and Maxi Kleber – after a massive trade that sent Dallas a package centered around Anthony Davis. The Lakers have unveiled the jersey numbers for the three outgoing Mavericks, along with other details.
Morris will be sticking with the same number that he wore in Dallas, No. 88. The veteran played sparingly for the Mavericks this season, averaging 1.7 points and 1.1 rebounds in 5.9 minutes per game over seven appearances. He’s in his 14th season at the NBA level, winning a championship during a previous stint with the Lakers from 2020-21.
Kleber was forced to change numbers, moving from No. 42 to No. 14 with the Lakers. No. 42 is retired by the franchise in honor of James Worthy, who won three championships in Los Angeles and is a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. Kleber broke his foot in a loss to the Boston Celtics and is out for the foreseeable future after undergoing surgery. He averaged 3.0 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 18.7 minutes per game over 34 appearances. Kleber spent the entirety of his eight-year career with the Mavericks before being traded.
As for Luka Doncic, he will continue to don the No. 77 that he’s worn since arriving on the NBA scene. He will be the first player to wear the number in Lakers franchise history. Doncic wears the number in honor of former Greek basketball star Vassilis Spanoulis, who played in No. 7.
Doncic switched to No. 77 when he was drafted by the Mavericks due to Dwight Powell already being in possession of No. 7.
“Luka is a one-of-a-kind, young global superstar who will lead this franchise for years to come,” Lakers GM Rob Pelinka said when the trade was officially announced. “His killer instincts and commitment to winning championships will be a driving force for the team. We will be relentless in building a roster around the on-court vision Coach Redick has for this basketball team and there is an unwavering commitment to that work to serve our loyal and dedicated fans. We are grateful for today and look forward to what’s next.”
Doncic was acquired by the Mavericks in a draft day trade in 2018. He led the franchise to an appearance in the NBA Finals less than a year ago. Despite being limited by injuries this season, he averaged 28.1 points, 8.3 rebounds, 7.8 assists, and 2.0 steals in 35.7 minutes per game over 22 appearances. Doncic hasn’t been able to return to the court since suffering a calf ailment on Christmas Day.