Los Angeles Lakers superstar Luka Doncic can re-up with the team on August 2 of this year for more than $225 million, but a couple of prominent NBA insiders don’t see it going down that way.
That doesn’t mean Lakers fans need fret. In fact, should Doncic make that call, it will most likely be to better position himself in negotiations down the line. It will also most likely mean that Doncic still extends in L.A., just not for the max amount of years and money the first time around.
Brian Windhorst recited the position of his colleague and former NBA front office guru Bobby Marks, who currently works as ESPN’s lead salary cap analyst, on Doncic’s pending free agency.
“[Doncic] can sign a four-year, $230 million max contract, which added to the year that he’s got would make him under contract for five years,” Windhorst said on Friday, May 2. “What Bobby thinks [Doncic] will do and is more likely, assuming he extends, is a three-year, $165 million extension. The reason that you would do that is because at the end of that three years, he would then have 10 years of service and can get a higher maximum [at] 35% of the cap.”
Doncic can also opt out in summer 2026 and test the free-agent market. As such, it will be important for the Lakers to build a roster this offseason that the 26-year-old Doncic will look upon favorably.
The team’s first priority is likely to be a rim-running, rim-protecting big man, of which there should be a handful of decent available options via trade this summer. They potentially include Robert Williams of the Portland Trail Blazers, Nic Claxton of the Brooklyn Nets and Daniel Gafford of the Dallas Mavericks.
