The Los Angeles Lakers traded for Luka Dončić in February 2025, and he has been the talk of the town in L.A. ever since. It was a shock that the Dallas Mavericks let go of a generational talent like the Slovenian superstar, but it was Rob Pelinka’s good fortune that he managed to get the deal done.
After joining the Lakers midseason, Dončić averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists in 28 games, despite missing time with injuries. Those numbers show he can lead a franchise to glory, if the Mavericks’ 2024 NBA Finals run wasn’t already proof.
Dončić becomes an unrestricted free agent in 2028, and the Lakers are expected to offer him a lucrative extension to keep him in L.A. Fortunately for the 17-time champs, Dončić is reportedly leaning toward staying with the team.
Luka Dončić Reportedly Aiming to Stay With the Lakers With a New Contract
ESPN insider Dave McMenamin recently delivered a major update on Dončić’s contract situation. He wrote that an anonymous source revealed there has been positive momentum for the Dončić-Lakers partnership, thanks to Mark Walter’s record-breaking $10 billion purchase of the team.
In addition, the source said, “You always want the wealthiest owners, so that speaks for itself. And his track record speaks for itself. … [Dončić] wants to win. This owner’s proven that he wants to win. So this is a plus-plus.”
The Lakers have the option to offer Dončić a four-year, $229 million extension starting Aug. 2. He could also opt for a three-year, $165 million extension with a player option in 2028, when he’d be eligible for a new max deal.
Walter’s huge investment in buying the franchise is a good sign the team will be aggressive in locking up Dončić for the long haul.
Lakers Superstar Is Still Motivated by Harsh Slander From Mavericks
It’s no secret Dončić faced heavy criticism after his exit from Dallas. Reports claimed that Nico Harrison and others in the Mavericks front office were unhappy with his fitness and conditioning, leading to the ugly split. Dončić seems to have taken that personally and is using it as fuel for a big offseason transformation.
Luka Dončić remains motivated by how the Dallas Mavericks slandered his name after the trade, per @mcten
“Doncic remains motivated by how the Dallas Mavericks treated him in the aftermath of the trade and how the Lakers’ season ended, and has committed to an offseason training… pic.twitter.com/MNTBVTSXYT
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) June 28, 2025
Other insiders have claimed that the player’s physical progress is already visible as he continues working ahead of the 2025–26 season. It’s clear Dončić is looking to send a message after the criticism, and it’ll be interesting to see how he bounces back in L.A. next season with LeBron James.
