An unexpectedly eventful season has ended for Luka Doncic.
Luka Doncic began the 2024-25 campaign with the Dallas Mavericks before the trade that stunned basketball took place.
Doncic was as stunned as anybody when the Mavs decided to trade him to the LA Lakers at the mid-season deadline.
The Slovenian was forced to quickly re-adjust and led the Lakers to a third-seed finish in the Western Conference, but it all fell apart in the playoffs.
One of the outcomes of the trade was the Lakers unbalanced roster, that meant the team fell short in their first round playoff series against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Luka Doncic is now ineligible for a supermax contract after the Mavericks traded him away, and their reluctance to be tied in was one reason described for their decision.
Doncic technically becomes a free agent in June 2026, and in early August, the Lakers are eligible to offer him an extension.
Speaking on the Dan Patrick Show, reporter Tim MacMahon claims he is confident Luka Doncic will commit his future to the Lakers.
“I would be shocked if there’s not some sort of extension this summer, and what that looks like, there’s a lot of factors.
“I don’t want to bog you down with CBA minutia and all that kind of stuff, but I with what I know of Luka, and I haven’t talked to him directly about this, talking to people who know Luka, I think he absolutely wants to give the Lakers, like he’s fully committed to LA now.
“His heart was broken, but he’s fully committed to the Lakers. And his goal now is to win championships with that franchise.”
A recent report from ESPN claimed Luka Doncic is expected to take his time assessing his future with the LA Lakers.
There are variable contract options on the table for the team to offer him.
The report claims these include a four-year, $229 million extension, or a three-year, $165 million extension with a player option in 2028.
By time the Lakers can offer Doncic a contract in early August, the team’s free agency activity will have been largely concluded, giving the Slovenian a better picture of the franchise’s plans for 2025-26 and beyond.
GM Rob Pelinka has vowed to build the team around Doncic, and now he has to deliver.
