Los Angeles Lakers fans are patiently awaiting Luka Doncic’s contract extension decision.
While the 26-year-old star can ink a long-term deal with the franchise until Aug. 2, ESPN’s Brian Windhorst discussed his contract situation in a recent article.
“On Aug. 2, (Doncic) can add four years and $229 million to his deal,” Windhorst wrote Saturday. “But he could (and it might financially be smarter to) also sign for $165 million over three years with a chance to opt out in 2028.”
After the report, Athlon Sports’ Max Dible suggested that Doncic, who was traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Lakers on Feb. 2 , could make NBA contract history in 2028 if he takes a $64 million pay cut this summer.
“Should Doncic take the three-year contract rather than the four-year agreement, which is worth $64 million less overall, he can put himself in a position to renegotiate a super-max deal at 35% of the salary cap rather than 30% he can sign for now after hitting the 10-year NBA service mark,” Dible stated.
“Furthermore, the league’s salary cap is almost certainly going to be considerably higher three years from now than it is today, as the NBA’s new television deal increases the cap incrementally season over season.”
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“That deal, if and when Doncic signs it, will probably be the richest contract ever in league history — and the new ownership group will be able to pay it with ease.”
With Mark Walter, the successful owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, calling the shots in Los Angeles after completing a $10 billion deal with the Buss family, Doncic’s future with the Lakers appears more promising than ever.
The Lakers are coming off a crushing first-round playoff defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves and must respond accordingly in 2025-26 to help keep optimism surrounding the franchise alive.
Doncic is a fierce competitor who’s only one year removed from an NBA Finals appearance (the Mavericks fell to the Boston Celtics).
Assuming Walter can help orchestrate the appropriate free agency moves and give Doncic the best chance to compete for titles in Los Angeles, it’s on-brand to suggest the two parties could agree on a massive 2028 deal that would lock Doncic in for several years.
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