Luka Doncic’s plan was to sign a deal with the Dallas Mavericks and stay with them long-term.
Of course, the Mavericks had other ideas and just traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers.
So, what does that mean for his future?
Speaking on “Get Up,” per NBACentral, Brian Windhorst talked about concerns the Lakers might have about Doncic, his contract, and the road ahead.
He stressed that it’s not guaranteed that Doncic will sign an extension with the Lakers next year.
That’s partly because the team literally cannot offer him the sort of max contract that the Mavericks could have.
So, the Lakers are now on the clock and have to work hard to convince Doncic to stick around in Los Angeles and sign an extension as soon as he can.
Brian Windhorst says it’s not guaranteed that Luka Dončić will sign an extension with the Lakers
(? @GetUpESPN ) pic.twitter.com/MT6wXuvhEf
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) February 4, 2025
There are many reasons to think this will end up going well for the Lakers.
Firstly, they are a storied franchise and perhaps the most famous basketball team of all time.
Doncic will now be the center of attention in a massive market and will be told that the future of the team can be his.
He will be the face of the franchise after LeBron James retires, which is a major honor.
And playing with James might also entice Doncic to sign an extension since he is one of his basketball heroes and this could be a dream come true for him.
Doncic is obviously a loyal player, and the post-trade reports from inside his camp prove that.
He was willing to be with the Mavericks for the rest of his career, and that might be true for the Lakers.
But if the team is dysfunctional or makes some bad moves, he may be tempted to test the waters and see what options are out there.
NEXT: Dwyane Wade Believes The NBA Wanted Luka Dončić On The Lakers
