Luka Doncic does not become eligible for a contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers until August 2nd, but he may elect to wait until after the conclusion of Eurobasket in September before finalizing a decision.
"The number one most important thing for the Lakers this offseason is getting Luka Doncic into a contract extension, which they can do after August 2nd," said ESPN's Brian Windhorst on Get Up.
"And I'm going to sound this warning now: he's probably not going to sign August 2nd. He's going to be playing with the Slovenian national team until mid-September, and he may not entertain that issue until he comes back to the US at that time. So, it could be a long wait, but make no mistake—this offseason is not about LeBron for the Lakers. It is about Luka."
The Lakers are open to any contract extension structure Doncic prefers this offseason. Doncic can sign a four-year, $229 million extension with the Lakers. Alternatively, he could opt for a shorter three-year, $165 million deal with a player option for 28-29, positioning himself for a potential five-year, $418 million contract in 2028 when he reaches 10 years of service.
Doncic might also play out his current contract through 25-26 before choosing between a five-year, $296 million deal with the Lakers, or a four-year, $219 million contract elsewhere. Doncic's current deal includes a player option worth $48.9 million for the 26-27 season.
The five-time All-Star, represented by agent Bill Duffy, averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists and 1.6 steals in 35.1 minutes across 28 games after joining the Lakers. His season PER of 24.0 was his lowest efficiency rating since his rookie year.
Reports this offseason have indicated that Doncic is "fully committed" to the Lakers, evidenced publicly by his statement of support when the Lakers' sale was announced.
