There are many things the Los Angeles Lakers must take care of this offseason, but arguably the most important is locking down superstar guard Luka Doncic to a long-term contract extension. It has already been rumored that the Lakers will go whatever route Doncic prefers in terms of a new deal, but which way the guard will go is unknown.
There are three different options for an extension between Doncic and the Lakers this summer and ESPN analyst Bobby Marks broke them down, and ultimately expects Luka to choose the route that will allow for him to re-enter free agency and make back the money he lost when the Dallas Mavericks traded him:
Doncic and the Lakers can agree to a three-year, $160 million extension after the NBA Finals conclude. But because he was traded Feb. 2, the Lakers have to wait until Aug. 2 if the goal is to extend him for the maximum allowed: four years and $229 million.
There are multiple variations of a new extension for Doncic:
A four-year, $229 million max, where the $51 million first-year salary for 2026-27 replaces the player option for that season. And, more likely: a three-year, $165 million extension that includes a player option in the third year. The short-term extension would allow Doncic to reenter free agency sooner and potentially recoup the $345 million he lost when he was traded from the Mavericks.
Doncic, for his part, confirmed to ESPN’s Malika Andrews in an interview before the postseason that his intention is to remain with the Lakers. But while there should be confidence in Doncic extending, showing him what a post-LeBron James roster could look like is a major priority.
What to expect: Doncic signs a three-year, $165 million deal with a player option for 2028-29.
The three-year extension would get Doncic to 10 years of service in the NBA, which would then allow for him to sign the biggest supermax contract. He has certainly earned that and if Doncic is going to sign a three-year deal, than getting the extra $5 million by waiting until Aug. 2 just makes the most sense. But Luka could just prefer to lock in as much money as he can get right now and he would certainly still be in line for a supermax a year later.
Whether it is a three of four-year extension, the Lakers simply want to make sure that Doncic is locked in with the franchise for the foreseeable future and they will do whatever it takes to make that happen this offseason.
Lakers’ Luka Doncic reveals pros and cons of living in L.A.
It took some time for Luka Doncic to process being traded to the Lakers as it was completely unexpected. But one thing he is enjoying is living in Los Angeles.
The Lakers superstar recently spoke about what he loves about L.A., saying that he loves the ocean and this is the first time he’s played in a city that has one. He also enjoys all of the celebrities that attends Lakers games, however, like everyone else in the city, he does not enjoy the L.A. traffic.
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