Even as this offseason has been presented as all sunshine and lollipops for the Los Angeles Lakers and now firmly entrenched superstar Luka Doncic, in the background, questions about his future will arise repeatedly. The Lakers sold out their assets trying to get the right roster around Doncic, including coughing up most of their cap space and two future first-round picks to add center Walker Kessler. The team has included him in personnel decisions, and while Doncic did not force out LeBron James, the organization clearly felt that moving on from James would make Doncic more comfortable as the face of the franchise.
If it seems like the Lakers maybe bent over backwards to ensure that Doncic would stay put in LA for the foreseeable future and perhaps beyond, well, that’s because it is pretty much how things went. This is Doncic’s team now.
Luka Doncic Does Not Want to Leave
That will be true, at least, if the Lakers show a clear path toward winning and, at least, competing for championships. Remember, Doncic can become a free agent in the summer of 2028, so until he is locked into his next contract, teams will be taking the temperature on just how happy Doncic is in LA and whether he might look for an escape hatch.
But that’s not where Doncic’s head is now. He is committed to the Lakers, he says.
Asked by Melissa Rohlin of the California Post whether he would retire a Laker, he said, “Hopefully, yeah. But as you know in this NBA business, you never know what’s going to happen. But I feel like I’ve found something here that’s very comfortable for me. And hopefully [that happens].”
Lakers Just Have to Win
Again, that’s still two years away from requiring a Doncic decision, and folks around the Lakers know that as long as the team builds a roster that supports Doncic’s style of play and that the team is making progress toward contending, he will be happy to stay put. Doncic has never had much interest in bouncing through franchises–heck, he never wanted to leave the Mavericks, the team that drafted him and dealt him to the Lakers.
As long as there is progress on the court, Doncic is plenty happy off it.
He said: “I feel very good in LA. I’m very excited. Very happy. Obviously it’s a beautiful place to live. But just being with the Lakers organization, being a part of it, it’s such an honor. It’s amazing to be here.”
Lakers’ Luka Doncic Makes Clear Statement on His Future in LA