Dončić is expected to sign a long-term extension with Los Angeles.
The Los Angeles Lakers have already done the heavy lifting with Luka Dončić.
Acquiring him in the first place was a heist unbeknownst to a fanbase widely familiar with blockbuster trades. Now, they have to lock up the Dallas Mavericks’ old franchise player.
As Dončić enters his first full season with the Lakers, the more pressing question is about his expiring contract. The Slovenian superstar will make a shade under $46 million this season, and he has an opt-out clause for 2026-27 at just below $49 million.
Dončić is also eligible to sign a four-year, $229 million extension and cement himself as the next legend in Los Angeles.
NBA Insider Ramona Shelburne of ESPN had this to say about Dončić’s future with the Lakers:
"Their summer's incomplete until we know if Luka extends. The Lakers have plans to visit him in Slovenia...they're going to Eurobasket...he has spent time with Jeanie Buss. This is not a player that's looking like I'm gonna leave as a free agent next year.”
While the sting for Mavericks fans has slightly lessened after lucking into the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes, it feels certain that they will have to watch their beloved Dončić carry the Laker torch that has been passed down for years by pillars of the game.
Dallas still has a daunting starting five (assuming a meteoric rise to stardom by Flagg) and should be competitive even in the Western Conference. But this imminent Dončić extension will bring back all of the sour memories from earlier this year.
Category: Basketball
