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Los Angeles Lakers want to put their painful NBA Playoffs defeat to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round behind them.
With an eye on the future, one of their stars is expected to sign a contract extension to continue shining on the team: Luka Doncic.
Looking ahead to next season, the 26-year-old Slovenian player will earn $45.9 million after g the extension following the conclusion of the 2025 NBA Finals.
The truth is that Luka had already confirmed his desire to continue with the team, even before the postseason. However, he did not specify for how long.
In this regard, ESPN's Bobby Marks expects that neither Doncic nor the Lakers will wait until August 2 to sign and stay with the team for four more years for $229 million.
"A four-year, $229 million max, where the $51 million first-year salary for 2026-27 replaces the player option for that season," Marks wrote. "And, more likely: a three-year, $165 million extension that includes a player option in the third year."
However, the team's priority is to show Doncic a post-King James roster. In this regard, Mark states: "What to expect: Doncic signs a three-year, $165 million deal with a player option for 2028-29."
The three-year option would give him the chance to aspire to sign the highest super-maximum contract, as it would give Luka 10 years of service in the NBA. In addition, "the short-term extension would allow Doncic to return to free agency sooner and potentially recoup the $345 million he lost when he was traded from the Mavericks."
Luka's numbers
Doncic's trade from the Dallas Mavericks to the Lakers surprised fans not only of both teams, but of the NBA as a whole, as it presented them with the union between the 26-year-old player and the legend, LeBron James.
The truth is that Luka has lived up to expectations, averaging 28.2 points in the regular season after his trade, along with 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists.
And, although his efforts were not enough to take the team to the top during the playoffs, he averaged 30.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game with the Lakers.
In addition, he averages 28.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 8.2 assists in his career.