Luka Doncic agrees to three-year, $165 million extension with Lakers
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LOS ANGELES — Luka Doncic plans to sign a three-year, $165 million contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, the first day the team can formally offer the deal, according to multiple league sources. The third season will be a player option.
Early return to the United States
Doncic, 26, cut short his usual European offseason and arrived in New York on Sunday for a Jordan Brand promotional tour. After a stop at Yankee Stadium with fellow endorser Aaron Judge, the five-time All-Star visited Chicago and then Los Angeles, showcasing a slimmer frame that recently appeared on the cover of Men’s Health.
Contract structure and future earnings
The maximum offer Los Angeles could have made was a four-year, $229 million extension. By choosing a two-plus-one arrangement, Doncic can reach unrestricted free agency in 2028 or 2029, when he will have 10 years of NBA service. Under current cap projections, he could sign a four-year, $323 million extension in 2027 or a five-year deal worth roughly $418 million in 2028, potentially becoming the league’s first $80 million-per-season player.
Championship urgency
Traded from Dallas on Feb. 1 in a deal that sent Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a future first-round pick to the Mavericks, Doncic expects the Lakers to contend immediately. He reinforced that stance during a May dinner with general manager Rob Pelinka and head coach JJ Redick, outlining roster needs such as a pick-and-pop shooter, a defensive specialist and a rim protector. This summer he actively recruited Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart to Los Angeles.
Lakers’ outlook
Team officials describe the organization as “excited” and remain committed to pursuing titles alongside Doncic and LeBron James. The front office has emphasized financial flexibility rather than targeting a specific 2027 free-agent class, a stance underscored by its reluctance to extend a long-term offer to forward Dorian Finney-Smith, who signed with Houston.
Imagem: espn.com
Securing Doncic’s signature marks the franchise’s top offseason objective and officially launches the Lakers’ next era.
Source: ESPN
