Luka Doncic Reportedly 'Widely Expected' to Sign New Lakers Contract 'At Some Point'

Despite not being eligible for a supermax contract as a result of being traded midway through the season, Luka Dončić will likely sign a new deal with the Los Angeles Lakers eventually.

Per The Athletic's Jovan Buha and Sam Amick, the five-time All-Star is "widely expected" to sign a deal with Los Angeles "at some point."

ESPN's Dave McMenamin also reported Dončić will "take his time" with his decision on an extension in Los Angeles.

The timing and terms of an agreement will be worth keeping an eye on. Taking the supermax off the table means Dončić could decide to negotiate in such a way that will help him maximize his long-term earnings.

In the aftermath of the February trade that sent Dončić to the Lakers, ESPN's Bobby Marks broke down the three different contract options at his disposal.

Dončić can't sign any extension until Aug. 2 if he decides to do so. The two-plus-one option would allow him to sign a five-year deal worth up to $418 million that starts with the 2028-29 season.

If Dončić opts for immediate long-term security, he could sign a four-year, $228.6 million extension that goes into effect in the 2026-27 season. That would help the Lakers manage the cap since it would keep his average annual salary at $57.15 million.

Dončić could also elect to play out his current deal, opt out after the 2025-26 season and sign a five-year contract with the Lakers worth up to $296 million. The $59.2 million average annual salary would rank third among all current deals, ironically just ahead of Anthony Davis ($58.5 million).

Asked about his contract after the Lakers' season-ending loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Wednesday, Dončić explained he hadn't really thought about it.

"I've been focused on basketball," Dončić said. "So obviously this is the time now to think about everything."

Buha and Amick noted the Lakers made the trade without receiving any assurance from Dončić that he would sign a long-term deal with them.

There was speculation at the end of the 2022-23 season that the Dallas Mavericks were concerned about Dončić potentially seeking a way out if the organization continued to struggle. The Mavs had just wrapped up a season in which they finished 38-44 and blatantly tanked in the final week to protect their draft pick.

Any concern about Dončić requesting a trade out of Dallas went away when the front office assembled a roster that got the Mavs to the NBA Finals last year. That same front office stunned the world by deciding they wanted to be out of the Dončić business seven months after the Finals.

Since Dončić is still new to Los Angeles and doesn't have nearly the same emotional attachment to the organization that he did with the Mavs, general manager Rob Pelinka and his staff could be under some pressure to prove they can build a roster capable of contending for a title consistently before the 26-year-old decides to commit to them.