Brian Windhorst thinks the LA Lakers have more time than fans might know to convince Luka Doncic to commit his future.
When it looked like the LA Lakers would struggle to find their next face of the franchise when LeBron James left, they pulled off yet another coup.
In February, the Lakers traded for Luka Doncic in one of the most shocking moves in NBA history. By landing Doncic, the Lakers now have a player who can be their centerpiece for over a decade.
Doncic’s arrival has made LeBron the second option on the Lakers. It’s clear that he is the priority for the franchise going forward.
But there is a problem. Luka Doncic is a free agent next season. While he can’t sign a max contract, Doncic can sign a short-term deal and sign a $406 million contract in 2028.
Brian Windhorst did explain why Doncic could reject that deal. However, the long-time NBA analyst did reassure Lakers fans that the star not signing an extension this summer isn’t cause for panic.
Brian Windhorst spoke on NBA Today about the prospect of Luka Doncic signing a contract extension with the LA Lakers.
He encouraged Lakers fans not to worry, as the team has several months to re-sign. Doncic is currently away with the Slovenian national team, but he can sign a three-year extension when he returns.
“I would not expect it to happen that early. There are various reasons why the timeline would be pushed to September.
“Don’t react negatively, Lakers fans, if you don’t see a deal right away, he’s playing for the Slovenian national team. Also, it behooves him to take a three-year contract extension.
“The Lakers can offer 4 (years) and $230 (million), but it makes sense that it would take a three-year extension for long-term reasons.
“But anything that he would sign would be terrific for the Lakers; they’re going to obviously make that their offseason priority.”
Windhorst further pointed to Doncic’s previous stints with the Slovenian national team to point out that he doesn’t do business when with them. When Doncic returns, the Lakers can negotiate.
“He won the Eurobasket for Slovenia earlier in his career, probably the greatest moment of his career. They play six exhibition games leading up to the start on August 27th.
“And they could go as late as September 14th, which means he may not be back in the US until late September. [Tim] MacMahon will tell you that, in the past, when he’s been playing for the national team, he has not done NBA business, including NBA contracts.
“So he could certainly pledge his intention to sign with the Lakers, but do not freak out if you do not hear from Luka contractually until September.”
Luka has suggested he is in it for the long haul with the Lakers. Doncic looked forward to new LA Lakers owner Mark Walters’ arrival and their hopefully long-term union.
Lakers fans can, for now, breathe a sigh of relief, as despite the lack of activity on that front, Luka Doncic is likely to stick around for the foreseeable future.
