The Luka Doncic era has officially begun as the superstar signed a three-year extension to stay with the Los Angeles Lakers, cementing himself as the next face of the franchise.
While the Lakers did well to upgrade the roster via free agency, the most important thing they needed to do this offseason was secure a long-term commitment from Doncic.
With Doncic now under contract for the foreseeable future, Los Angeles has the opportunity to build a team in his image that he can hopefully bring to another NBA Finals appearance and championship some day.
From the outside, it was never a sure thing that Doncic would be willing to extend with the Lakers but he apparently never thought otherwise, via Dan Woike of The Athletic:
“I think it was always known that, when Luka was traded here, it’s, ‘He’s here now,’” Seager said. “He wants to win where he is, and it’s important that he wins and that we’re working together with the team so we’re not waiting. His mindset has never been to hop around. His mindset is to win championships.
“His mindset is to build where he is and to work together. And as long as he’s signed with a team, it’s a marriage and you treat it like a marriage. And marriages have hard times and good times, but you’re loyal and you’re faithful to each other through it all. And that’s just who Luka is. I don’t think he ever thought. ‘I’m not signing my extension.’”
It’s unsurprising that Doncic never gave a second thought to leaving as he comes off as a loyal and dedicated player to the team he’s part of. Doncic himself admitted he decided pretty quick to sign his extension, a testament to his character and personality.
In this day and age, it’s common for stars to want to leave untenable situations for brighter pastures, but Doncic is old school in that he looks to win no matter where he is. That kind of star is rare to see, so the Lakers are beyond fortunate to have someone like Doncic to lead the way.
Rob Pelinka calls Luka Doncic extension monumental moment in Lakers history
President of basketball operations and general manager Rob Pelinka had high praise for Luka Doncic during his press conference following his extension signing. Pelinka noted how important the superstar is as the new face of the franchise and called him signing his extension a monumental moment in Lakers history.
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!
