Luka Doncic isn't acting as if he doesn't want to stay with Lakers

USA Today

5 days ago

At this point in the offseason, the attention for the Los Angeles Lakers has just begun to shift to Luka Doncic and the contract extension he will be eligible to sign starting on Aug. 2. He can sign a four-year deal worth as much as $228 million, but he may instead opt to sign a shorter-term extension that would allow him to opt out in 2028 and then receive a supermax deal.
There has been a bit of anxiety regarding whether Doncic will stay with the Lakers past this coming season, especially since they may not have a truly championship-caliber roster. They got veteran guard Marcus Smart, the NBA's 2022 Defensive Player of the Year, to agree to sign with them on Saturday after agreeing to a contract buyout with the Washington Wizards, but they still need a little more help.
Doncic reportedly helped recruit Smart, and as Dan Woike of The Athletic pointed out, the superstar appears to be acting like someone who wants to wear the Purple and Gold for a while.
"While Dončić hasn't directly addressed his future with the franchise this summer — time he's spent in Europe putting together an all-time revenge glow-up — his actions behind the scenes crystalize why the Lakers are confident with how things stand," Woike wrote.
"Dončić, according to league sources, had communicated his desires for a capable rim-running center, shooting help and defensive support. The Lakers responded by filling those needs with Deandre Ayton, Jake LaRavia and, soon, Marcus Smart.
"In addition to that, league sources said, Dončić has been an active recruiter for the Lakers this summer and helped secure commitments from Ayton and Smart after both unexpectedly hit free agency via contract buyouts.
"The Lakers also posted an interview with Dončić on Saturday (taped during the season) that ended with him saying that he hoped his legacy with the Lakers would leave him known as 'the guy that brought championships to the city.'
"All of it has the Lakers confident they're in alignment with Dončić in their plans to build a championship roster.
"None of this is to say that Dončić was going to patiently wait for next summer or a talent-rich 2027 free agency crop for the Lakers to begin stacking their team. While Dončić and the Lakers understand their long-term flexibility needs, the short-term movement has, on paper, signaled a commitment to competing in the short term, provided some things break their way."
Los Angeles landed Doncic in that stunning trade on Feb. 1 that sent out Anthony Davis, Max Christie and draft compensation. It signaled a shift in who the franchise revolves around, as it is now catering to Doncic after bending to almost every one of LeBron James' whims for nearly seven years.
Despite persistent rumors that he may want to leave, James is expected to be with the Lakers once the new season starts, and possibly even beyond this coming season. Given that this could very well be his last season with them, they seem to have every incentive to try to win the NBA championship right now.