Lakers Must Go All-in To Secure Luka Doncic Max Contract Extension amid NBA Rumors
The Los Angeles Lakers might have a new incentive for emptying their asset collection and giving their roster as many win-now resources as they can.
And this one could motivate them to act even more than the previous report that LeBron James and his camp were "closely monitoring" their moves during the 2025 NBA offseason, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
That's because the player involved in the latest rumors isn't James, quite possibly the GOAT but also a 40-year-old on an expiring contract, but rather the player who has replaced him as L.A.'s organizational centerpiece: Luka Dončić.
While Dončić, who turned 26 in February, has a much longer runway in front of him, he's also in the heart of his prime and presumably just as hungry for maximum success. In addition, he's also eligible to sign a contract extension this offseason, though his commitment is considered far from a sure thing.
In fact, ESPN's Brian Windhorst said on NBA Today on Tuesday that the Lakers are "a little bit stressed out" about the upcoming negotiations.
"This happens when it's a player's second max contract," Windhorst said. "This is when players sometimes leave or are not really worth it. This is a stress max right now for Luka. The Lakers are a little bit stressed out about it. ... If he signs it, relief for the Lakers. ... If he does not sign it, you will see teams begin to open up maneuvers to try to chase Luka."
This is, in other words, a headache the Lakers hardly need, particularly amid the ongoing chatter about James' plans.
If L.A. has done nothing else this summer, it has plainly communicated that the torch has been passed from James to Dončić. Given their ages, it was absolutely the right decision to make.
However, it only works if Dončić is committed to this club long enough to handle his part of the relay race. And while there's no reason to assume that he isn't, there also isn't any evidence that he's guaranteed to sign a max contract as soon as it's offered.
In fact, it's more likely than not that even if he re-signs, he won't take the longest-termed contract available to him. As The Athletic's John Hollinger previously noted, it "seems vastly more likely [Dončić] will take a shorter deal" than the four-year, $223 million extension he could sign on Aug. 2.
As Hollinger noted, "if [Dončić] were to void his player option in 2026 and sign a three-year, $161 million extension with the Lakers with a 2028-29 player option, he would be a 10-year vet in the summer of 2028. At that point, he could sign a monstrous five-year deal worth up to approximately $406 million to remain in L.A."
The contract structure shouldn't matter much to the Lakers. Sure, they'd prefer to have Dončić sign for as long as possible, but the really important part is to get his signature on something this offseason. That would at least eliminate the possibility of him declining his player option next summer and potentially leaving for nothing as an unrestricted free agent.
That said, L.A. must incentivize him to do so. And it will likely take more than just giving him top billing under the Hollywood spotlight. He needs to know he has a realistic chance of winning there, and the easiest way to communicate that is by...well, winning.
Have the Lakers done enough to improve their championship chances so far for 2025-26? That seems incredibly optimistic. Deandre Ayton at least filled the interior void, but the former No. 1 pick is a bit of a polarizing player who hasn't always had the clearest impact on winning. And even those bullish about the addition of Jake LaRavia would have a hard time selling it as a net positive when paired with the subtraction of Dorian Finney-Smith.
Keeping the books clean ahead of 2026 and 2027 sounds good in theory, but it won't help next season's team. And if Dončić winds up using the campaign to determine his interest in a long-term future with the franchise, the Lakers will regret not pushing harder this summer to upgrade the roster around him right now.
Remember, they have enough assets to get a significant trade or two across the finish line. Between the future first they're allowed to trade (2031 or 2032), multiple first-round swaps, Dalton Knecht (last year's No. 17 pick), a handful of midsized salaries to match money and, yes, even Austin Reaves, L.A. could make a substantial offer for an impact player or two.
So far, the Lakers have opted against emptying their asset collection and limiting their long-term flexibility. James' attempted leverage play wasn't enough incentive to deviate from that strategy.
It could (and should) be a different story with Dončić, though. All of their short- and long-term plans revolve around following his lead. They better do everything they can to convince him that's the best role for him—now and moving forward.
