The Los Angeles Lakers are all in on Luka Doncic. After a blockbuster midseason trade that sent shockwaves through the league, the organization is reportedly willing to offer the five-time All-Star full control over the structure of his next contract extension.
According to The Athletic, the Lakers are prepared to accommodate whatever terms Doncic prefers, whether it’s long-term security, short-term flexibility, or a calculated path to a supermax payday down the line.
This level of commitment is rare, even for a franchise known for bending over backward to please superstars. The Lakers made the trade without any formal assurance that Doncic would sign long-term.
Yet within months, they’ve not only embraced him as the new face of their post-LeBron era, but are offering him the keys to the future, both literally and financially.
Doncic becomes extension-eligible on August 2, and he has several lucrative options to choose from. The most straightforward is a four-year, $229 million deal that would secure his services through the 2029-30 season. However, there’s growing speculation that Doncic may opt for a shorter three-year, $165 million contract with a player option for 2028-29.
That would allow him to reach 10 years of NBA service and become eligible for a projected five-year, $418 million supermax, potentially the richest deal in NBA history.
There’s also the possibility that Doncic plays out his current deal, opts out after the 2025-26 season, and signs a five-year, $296 million extension with the Lakers. That route offers immediate flexibility while still providing massive long-term earnings.
The Lakers’ willingness to offer full contractual freedom reflects their desire to keep Doncic at all costs. While he told ESPN before the playoffs that he wants to stay in Los Angeles, no official deal has been signed yet.
The Lakers are hoping that by giving him control, they’ll remove any doubt about their faith in him as the future of the franchise.
This approach also shows a clear philosophical shift under Rob Pelinka’s front office. Rather than dictate terms or wait for certainty, the Lakers are taking a risk to retain a generational talent.
They know how fragile relationships can be after seeing the Mavericks abruptly move on from Doncic less than a year after reaching the Finals. The Lakers don’t want to make the same mistake Dallas did, losing an MVP-caliber talent by failing to fully invest in his vision.
Still, the clock is ticking. With a disappointing first-round playoff exit now behind them, Doncic and the Lakers must evaluate what went wrong and how to fix it. Doncic has publicly said he hasn’t thought about the extension yet, focusing solely on basketball. But August will come quickly, and the Lakers are on the clock to build a contender around him before it does.
Whether he signs long-term this summer or chooses a shorter deal to keep his options open, one thing is clear: Luka Doncic holds all the leverage. And the Lakers are just fine with that.
