Right now, the plan appears for Luka Doncic to be the face of the Los Angeles Lakers for the foreseeable future. He’s spoken positively of his experience with the franchise and has suggested he’d like to be in Los Angeles long term.
However, he’s only under contract for one more year. If he chooses, he can be a free agent in 2027. The Lakers will almost certainly offer him the maximum amount of money possible, so it’s up to Doncic if he wants to commit to the franchise long term.
In the end, ESPN’s Bobby Marks predicts that Doncic will sign a three-year, $165 million deal with a player option for 2028-29.
“Doncic and the Lakers can agree to a three-year, $160 million extension after the NBA Finals conclude. But because he was traded Feb. 2, the Lakers have to wait until Aug. 2 if the goal is to extend him for the maximum allowed: four years and $229 million,” Marks wrote. “There are multiple variations of a new extension for Doncic:
“A four-year, $229 million max, where the $51 million first-year salary for 2026-27 replaces the player option for that season. And, more likely: a three-year, $165 million extension that includes a player option in the third year. The short-term extension would allow Doncic to reenter free agency sooner and potentially recoup the $345 million he lost when he was traded from the Mavericks.”
Any Chance Doncic Doesn’t Sign Extension?
The Lakers’ season ended in disappointment, but Doncic had to be somewhat pleased with how things turned out. The fans quickly embraced him after the emotional Dallas Mavericks trade, and the front office showed that they’d be willing to give him what he wants with the failed Mark Williams trade.
Even if Doncic decides against signing an extension, there’s still a good chance that he’s planning to be in Los Angeles for years to come.
LeBron James Praises Doncic
LeBron James likely won’t factor into any long-term decision by Doncic. He probably only has another season or two left before he retires.
James has been a very big fan of Doncic, and he revealed what makes him such a special player.
“It’s always his pace. It’s always been his pace,” James said of Doncic on a recent episode of “Mind the Game.” “It’s never been a game where it’s like ‘you can speed me up, he can speed me up, this bigger guy can be more physical, this smaller guy can get underneath me.’ It’s like, he moves at his own pace. And he’s never ever been on the floor, where he’s allowed someone to dictate where they’re going to put him on the floor.
It’s always been the opposite. And for us, we all working off of that, we’ve just got to stay ready. We’ve seen throughout his career, there’s plays and passes that only certain guys in league history have ever been able to make. And for us, we just have to make sure that we continue to stay ready, especially when you’re going against handsy teams, athletic teams and teams that try to speed you up. We always have to keep our head on a swivel, because you just never know when the ball may find you. And that’s a good thing, that’s keeping the defense off balance and it’s a great thing to have that.”
Insider Makes $165 Million Lakers-Luka Doncic Prediction