Luka Doncic Says He Hasn't Thought About Lakers Contract Decision, Injury 'Not Good'

Even though Luka Dončić isn't happy to start his offseason this soon, it will probably be good for him to catch his breath after a whirlwind couple of months that completely changed his career going forward.

Speaking to reporters after the Los Angeles Lakers' 103-96 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game 5 on Wednesday, the 26-year-old said he hasn't thought about potentially signing a contract extension this summer.

"I didn't think about it yet," Dončić said. "I've been focused on basketball. So obviously this is the time now to think about everything."

Dončić also noted the back injury he suffered during the game is "not good at all" right now. The injury occurred on a hard foul by Donte DiVincenzo late in the second quarter.

It wasn't apparent in Dončić's performance that he was hobbled. The five-time All-Star led all players with 16 points on 5-of-11 shooting and had five assists in 20 minutes during the second half.

Contract talks between Dončić and the Lakers will be a key storyline this summer. His midseason trade from the Dallas Mavericks made him ineligible for the supermax that would have been worth $345 million over five years.

Per ESPN's Bobby Marks, there are two extension options Dončić has available this summer.

The biggest one would be a four-year, $228.6 million extension that Dončić can sign as soon as Aug. 2. The two-plus-one deal would allow him to maximize his potential earnings because he would become eligible for a five-year, $418 million contract that would start with the 2028-29 season.

Under his current deal, the five-time All-Star will earn just under $46 million in 2025-26. He could become a free agent after next season by opting out of his deal.

Dončić is one of several major contract decisions the Lakers have to figure out this summer. LeBron James has a $52.6 million player option for next season that must be decided on by June 29. Dorian Finney-Smith has a $14.9 million player option in his current deal.

Austin Reaves could sign a four-year extension worth up to $89.2 million. If he waits until next summer to sign, the max value of his deal would increase to $98 million.

Dončić is going to be the long-term face of the franchise for the Lakers, as long as he wants to stay in Los Angeles. He has adjusted well to his new surroundings, especially considering how shocking the trade was and he was still recovering from a hamstring injury when it went down.

In 28 games after the trade, Dončić averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists per contest. The Lakers went 18-10 when he was in the starting lineup.