NBA legend Dwyane Wade makes his feelings clear about Luka Doncic's "billion dollar" business fit with LA Lakers

Luka Doncic and the LA Lakers stumbled in their first round series against the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games to end their promising season early. It was the first taste of playoff basketball for Doncic in a Lakers uniform, following the blockbuster trade that had brought him to LA from the Dallas Mavericks, where he became the face of the franchise.

While they are licking their wounds of defeat this season, the Lakers still have the 26-year-old Doncic to be their face for the next generation, according to Miami Heat legend Dwyane Wade.

In his eponymous podcast, Timeout with Dwyane Wade, he expressed how big a deal Doncic is and will be for the Lakers despite a rough start this season.

"At the end of the day, it's a bottom line to this. This is a business. What did I say? I said billionaire business," Wade said.

"We're talking about the Los Angeles Lakers, and so we sit here at the end of the season, we look at it and say, 'Well, No. 1 in jersey sales, who is it?' Luka Dončić. 'Team, No. 1 in jersey sales, who is it?' Los Angeles Lakers," he added.

Doncic is the top-selling jersey this season, while his Lakers teammate LeBron James holds the third spot, affirming Wade’s statements.

"When we talk about even building a face, everyone's talking about, 'Who's the face? Who's the face?' Well, I know who the international face is. His name is Luka Dončić. And it's not that he wasn't (the face) when he was in Dallas, but it really is because he's in the Lakers uniform," Wade said.

Doncic averaged 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game this season, helping the Lakers reach the third seed only to lose to the sixth-seeded Timberwolves in the first round.

The LA Lakers gave up Anthony Davis, among other players, in the deal. Davis was instrumental in bringing the Lakers an NBA title in 2020

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LeBron James hopes for Luka Doncic to stay with the LA Lakers long term

LA Lakers star LeBron James wants Luka Doncic to continue being the face of the franchise for the foreseeable future, expressing his desire to see the Slovenian stay in LA after their loss to Minnesota.

“I hope, obviously, (he stays long term). Laker fans f---ing love him here. L.A. has accepted him,” James said.

Doncic could continue the superstar legacy of the LA Lakers, which saw numerous all-time greats play for them, like Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant and LeBron.

James, who is the oldest active player this season, has only one remaining year left on his contract as he enters his 40s.