The Los Angeles Lakers have various offseason goals.
The biggest is arguably their ability to persuade their 6-foot-6 point guard to sign an extension with the franchise.
Luka Doncic, an ex-Dallas Mavericks star, hasn’t looked depressed in a Lakers uniform, but he’s yet to indicate he wants to compete with Los Angeles for the long haul.
If a contract extension doesn’t materialize this summer, Sir Charles in Charge’s Michael Saenz believes a blockbuster free-agency trade could occur.
“Whether they’re willing to admit it or not, the Los Angeles Lakers are heading into a pretty big offseason for themselves,” Sir Charles in Charge’s Michael Saenz wrote Sunday.
“Not only do they have to await LeBron James’ decision on what he wants to do at this point in his career, but they’ll also be trying to sign Luka Doncic to a long-term contract extension.
The hope is that it will get done at some point during the offseason, but if it doesn’t, it could make this summer even more complicated for Los Angeles. If Luka does deny an extension with the Lakers, it could open the door to a potential trade.
“The Lakers wouldn’t be in a position where they could roll the dice on the possibility of losing him for nothing during the offseason and would have to seriously explore trading him before the season begins.”
In an NBA-altering Feb. 2 deal, the Lakers acquired Doncic from the Mavericks and instantly became one of the league’s most appealing franchises.
Fans were interested in seeing what a Doncic and LeBron James partnership would look like on the hardwood, and the exhilarating superstar duo didn’t disappoint in the regular season.
Thanks to the two game-changing contributors’ commitment to playing complementary basketball, Los Angeles turned up the heat in the Western Conference and finished with the No. 3 seed.
Sadly, the competent center-less Lakers didn’t stand a chance against a motivated Minnesota Timberwolves club, forcing them to exit the postseason after a 4-1 first-round defeat.
Landing a Doncic-approved lob threat this summer could change everything for the franchise. In numerous instances, Los Angeles possessed a 2-1 advantage in pick-and-roll situations.
However, with assets like Jerrod Vanderbilt and Dorian Finney-Smith occasionally acting as screeners, Doncic was reluctant to let the ball go, which individuals shouldn’t fault him for.
The Lakers’ ability to get Doncic the help he needs could motivate him to make a beneficial summer decision.
