EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Luka Doncic’s first six months with the Los Angeles Lakers were more than enough to give him a vision of a glittering long-term future with his new team.
He sees NBA championship banners, trophies and team success while living in a cosmopolitan city and playing for a world-famous franchise. He also envisions his name and number in the rafters alongside every other transcendent great to wear the Lakers’ gold jersey.
Doncic took the next step toward turning his dreams into reality Saturday, when he agreed to a three-year, $165 million maximum contract extension through 2028 with the Lakers, bypassing a chance at free agency next summer.
“Being a Laker is an honor, and I wanted to be here,” Doncic said during a news conference under the title banners and retired numbers festooning the gym at the Lakers’ training complex. “When you look up here, so many great names and what they’ve achieved. I want to be up there, too, one day.”
The deal should keep the 26-year-old guard in Los Angeles through 2028 under a player option for the final season, after which he will be eligible for a massive five-year extension that could allow him to recoup the max money he lost by getting traded by the Dallas Mavericks. The Slovenian superstar had a player option for the 2026-27 season under his previous contract.