The blockbuster trade that sent Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers has sent shockwaves across the NBA. While the Lakers now have their next franchise cornerstone, there are no guarantees that Doncic will sign a long-term extension. In fact, the Lakers will have to work hard over the next year to secure his future in Los Angeles.
As Brian Windhorst pointed out on Get Up, Doncic only has one guaranteed year left on his contract. While it was long assumed that he would sign a supermax extension with the Dallas Mavericks, his trade to Los Angeles eliminates that possibility.
“LeBron and Luka are not set contractually. Luka has one year left on his contract, and we all assumed that Luka was going to re-sign in Dallas. It’s never once been brought up in my life about Luka’s contract.”
“But now he sees—traded to the Lakers—he has one year left, and they don’t get the supermax privilege. They can’t give him that $350 million. They can offer him $100 million less.”
“So I would say to you, it’s not a guarantee for sure that Luka’s going to rip off a five-year deal in July. He may want to see how things play out. He may take a shorter deal because he no longer has the financial incentive to do it. So the Lakers have to do some work over the next few months to convince him he wants to get locked in.”
“Additionally, LeBron has an option in his contract for next season. Now, I have no belief that LeBron wants anything more than just to be a Laker, but LeBron’s contract status is not settled.”
“So let’s see how everything goes. I know that everybody wants to know exactly how it’s gonna go in this next five seconds, but we have to just watch and see how it all plays out.”
“But I think Luka and LeBron will be excited about the prospect. And also, I’m gonna tell you—they are not a complete team.”
The Mavericks had supermax rights, meaning they could have offered him a five-year, $345 million contract extension. The Lakers, however, cannot offer him that deal. The most they can put on the table is a five-year deal worth approximately $229 million—over $100 million less than what Dallas could have given him.
This completely changes the financial incentives for Doncic. Instead of immediately locking in a long-term deal, he may choose to sign a shorter contract—perhaps a three-year extension with a player option—so that he can eventually become eligible for a new supermax deal and recoup the lost earnings.
Unlike previous superstar trades, where the acquired player immediately re-signed with their new team, Doncic is not locked into a long-term deal with the Lakers. This means the Lakers have a limited window to convince him that Los Angeles is the best place for his future.
With all due respect to Dwyane Wade, Kyrie Irving, and Anthony Davis, none of them had the offensive upside that Luka Doncic possesses. Luka is LeBron’s favorite young player, and conversely, LeBron has been Luka’s idol for years. Their mutual admiration has been evident for a long time, and both players will be thrilled to finally share the court.
But, basketball fit is another story. Both players dominate the ball, and neither is particularly effective off the ball. There will be a learning curve in making their partnership work, and if things don’t go smoothly, it could create tension.
Before this trade, the Lakers had only an outside shot at a deep playoff run. Even with Luka, they are not an instant championship favorite—but their long-term ceiling increases dramatically. If LeBron can squeeze out a few more elite seasons, the Lakers could be in title contention for the next 2-3 years.
For LeBron, this is a chance to chase more championships and perhaps catch (or even surpass) Michael Jordan’s six rings. But for Doncic, the Lakers must now prove that this is the best place for him to win—or risk losing their new superstar in free agency.
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