After the Washington Wizards agreed to a contract buyout with former Defensive Player of the Year winner Marcus Smart, the veteran guard signed with the Los Angeles Lakers. This made him the team’s third notable free-agent addition after Deandre Ayton and Jake LaRavia.
Recently, Luka Dončić’s future in Los Angeles has been a topic of conversation since he’s entering the final guaranteed year of his contract. While all eyes are on the superstar to see if he signs a massive extension with Los Angeles, it’s worth noting that he is greatly influencing the Lakers’ moves behind the scenes this offseason.
How Has Luka Dončić Influenced the Lakers’ Moves This Summer?
Dončić joined the Lakers in February as part of a shocking trade with the Dallas Mavericks that stunned the NBA world. Now, he has quickly emerged as the face of the franchise, and his fingerprints are all over the Lakers’ offseason.
Lakers beat writer Dan Woike of The Athletic revealed that Dončić’s input and recruiting have played a key role in Los Angeles’ moves this summer.
“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,” Woike revealed.
“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.”
Luka Doncic recruited Marcus Smart to join the Lakers, per ESPN
(h/t @fullcourtpass) pic.twitter.com/MEHp9yJdBF
— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) July 19, 2025
Not only is Dončić giving his input to Rob Pelinka and Co., he’s actively recruiting free agents, which may have helped the Lakers land Smart and Ayton (who had numerous other suitors).
Smart is set to sign a two-year, $11 million deal with the Lakers that includes a player option. This is a huge addition for Los Angeles, as Smart is a former Defensive Player of the Year who can help offer defensive support alongside Dončić and LeBron James.
The Lakers’ addition of Ayton was also huge. Entering this offseason, it was clear that Los Angeles had a glaring need at center. Ayton getting bought out by the Portland Trail Blazers ended up being critical for Los Angeles. It’s worth noting that Dončić and Ayton share an agent (Bill Duffy) and have known each other for a while since they were both top picks in the 2018 NBA Draft, making it easier for Dončić to recruit the big man.
The fact that Dončić is so involved in the Lakers’ plans seems like a good sign regarding his long-term future with the organization.
“While Luka Dončić hasn’t directly addressed his future with the franchise this summer, the 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.
The single biggest piece of Los Angeles Lakers business has yet to occur.
Luka Dončić is eligible to sign a contract extension with the franchise on Aug. 2.
And his actions behind the scenes crystalize why the Lakers are confident with how things stand. pic.twitter.com/I0opxSP9h0
— The Athletic (@TheAthletic) July 20, 2025
Starting August 2, Dončić will be eligible to sign an extension with the Lakers. He could secure a deal starting at 30% of the salary cap, with 8% annual raises, potentially earning upwards of $229 million that keeps him in Los Angeles through the 2029-30 season.
If Dončić does not sign an extension, he could play out next season and then opt out of his contract next offseason to become an unrestricted free agency (as he has a $48,967,380 player option for the 2026-27 campaign).
However, it certainly seems like all signs point to Dončić staying in Los Angeles, and he recently made a comment hinting that he isn’t going anywhere.
