While the Los Angeles Lakers put their focus over the last two months into building a roster that could compete now while maintaining future flexibility, their most important moment of the offseason was always going to come on Aug. 2. On Saturday, Luka Doncic became eligible to sign an extension with the Lakers that could tie him to the franchise for upwards of five years.
He had three major options. The first — and least likely — was signing a two-year extension with a player option that would have allowed him to enter free agency in 2027, the same as other major stars like Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo. The second was a three-year extension that would have him re-enter the market at 10 years, unlocking a 35% max instead of 30. The final was a full, four-year extension, giving him long-term security and a home in Los Angeles.
After months of waiting, the verdict is in. Doncic has reportedly agreed to a three-year maximum contract with a player option in for the 2028-29 NBA season, according to Shams Charania of ESPN:
BREAKING: Los Angeles Lakers All-NBA star Luka Doncic has signed a three-year, $165 million maximum contract extension with the franchise, with a player option in 2028, agent Bill Duffy of WME Basketball told ESPN. pic.twitter.com/oRxAVIm2oD
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 2, 2025
This now keeps Doncic out of free agency next summer and committed to the Lakers — and makes him eligible for a projected five years and $417 million in 2028. https://t.co/V10h5cdxDe
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) August 2, 2025
At the beginning of the summer, this was seen as the likeliest outcome. Most believed that if Doncic was going to sign an extension, it would have been the three-year option to recoup some of the money he lost when the Dallas Mavericks traded him away in February. And considering the final year is a player option, Luka will have the ability to opt out in two years to sign a new deal if he chooses. He would be eligible for a five-year, $417 million contract at that point.
Regardless, the Lakers now have Doncic on the books through at least the 2027-28 season, which was the goal when they completed their blockbuster trade with the Mavericks. Now, they have their 26-year-old superstar locked up and can build around him moving forward.
But now the real work begins in a sense. The Lakers must field a championship-level roster around Doncic as soon as possible. Otherwise, it’s always possible he asks for a trade himself at some point down the line as he has already made it clear that he wants to win right away.
Luka Doncic recaps Jordan Brand promotional tour in New York
Luka Doncic has spent most of the summer putting intensive work in to slim down and be in his best possible shape ahead of EuroBasket with Slovenia in August and the 2025-26 season with the Lakers. But he also took a week before EuroBasket begins to go on a Jordan Brand promotional tour with New York City being one of the stops.
The tour involved making an appearance at Dyckman, one of the premier pick-up spots in the country, for a Jordan youth basketball event. He also went to Yankee Stadium, threw out a first pitch and spent some time with MLB mega-star Aaron Judge. He made a television appearance on the TODAY show, joking about his upcoming contract extension date. And he did shoe signings and other big appearances in between.
All of that madness was recapped into a short video by Doncic and posted to his social media account.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!
