Safe to call this the most eventful offseason in history of the Los Angeles Lakers? From LeBron James’ departure to a seismic sign-and-trade for Walker Kessler and multiple free agent signings, to team ownership changing hands for the second time in 14 months.
(Stops for a deep breath.) To Jeanie Buss strongly refuting the Buss family sale. What is actually happening in Los Angeles? And what does Luka Doncic think of all this?
According to CBS Sports NBA analyst Sam Quinn, the drama and uncertainty surrounding the Lakers does not help their case to retain Doncic long-term, especially with his former team, the Dallas Mavericks, poised for a bright future.
“Luka is a free agent in 2028, which means the Lakers will approach him for an extension in 2027,” Quinn wrote on X. “We’ll see what he does. Dallas is by far the better basketball situation. Cooper Flagg is more valuable than the entire Laker roster combined. This drama doesn’t help the Laker case.”
Should Lakers Worry About Luka Doncic Eventually Wanting Out?
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – DECEMBER 07: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on during the second half against the Philadelphia 76ers at Xfinity Mobile Arena on December 07, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
The Lakers strolled into this summer knowing how important it was in determining the direction of the Doncic era. In a lot of ways, L.A. has done well, but instability in the front office is something that no player wants.
Then there’s Doncic’s potential free agency in 2028, and with the Mavs already in an express rebuild and positioned to stack more talent in the coming years, thinking Doncic may want to return to the Mavs suddenly isn’t so far-fetched.
“The Dallas Mavericks have one of the best collections of players that Philadelphia could pursue,” Quinn wrote. “Daniel Gafford and P.J. Washington are both still valuable, but they are Nico Harrison holdovers on big extensions, and the Mavericks have such limited draft capital that getting picks to take on Embiid could help refill the coffers. The downside here is that getting Embiid would all but eliminate their financial flexibility during Cooper Flagg’s rookie deal, as his rookie extension would kick in right as Embiid’s contract expires. Sacrificing 2028 cap space, when Luka Doncic, Deni Avdija and others could be available, would represent a huge opportunity cost.”
On the topic of ownership, the Mavs haven’t benefited from stability, either. The franchise was famously sold for a roughly $3.5 billion valuation in 2023. Since then, the Mavs have also had changes in front office personnel, most notably replacing Nico Harrison, the man who traded Doncic to the Lakers, for Masai Ujiri.
Harrison no longer running the Mavs front office could play a role in Doncic’s potential return for Dallas.
Lakers Must Make a Championship Push Next Season to Keep Doncic Around
After all, Doncic is 27 and in his prime. He is entering his ninth season and has a couple of deep playoff runs to show for, including an NBA Finals appearance. The clock is ticking.
With James in Philadelphia, the pressure and spotlight return to Doncic, and the Lakers have to show they can build a contender around Doncic like they did around James.
As Quinn noted, with Doncic being extension eligible in 2027, next summer in L.A. could get wildly interesting if the Lakers underperform in the 2026-27 season.
Lakers Warned Luka Doncic Could Seek Return to Mavs Amid Ownership Drama