Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic has agreed to a three-year, $165 million most contract extension, with a participant choice in 2028, agent Invoice Duffy of WME Basketball informed ESPN.
The crucial new deal retains Doncic out of free company subsequent summer season, eliminating his 2026-27 participant choice rather than the brand new contract.
Doncic might choose out in 2028 and signal a brand new deal for 35% of the wage cap, which tasks to 5 years and $417 million. In doing so, Doncic would recoup all the cash misplaced when he was traded by the Dallas Mavericks, with whom he had been eligible to signal a five-year, $315 million supermax extension this summer season.
The Lakers introduced Saturday that that they had signed Doncic to an extension however didn’t disclose phrases.
“I am actually grateful to the Lakers group, my teammates and the followers for welcoming me and my household with a lot help and kindness since day one,” Doncic stated in an announcement. “That is an incredible group, and I actually consider in what we’re constructing collectively. I’ll maintain working as arduous as I can to deliver one other championship to Los Angeles and to make Laker Nation proud.
“That is only the start. I am excited for what’s forward and to maintain constructing one thing particular with this workforce.”
The Lakers acquired Doncic from the Mavericks for Anthony Davis six months in the past in one of the stunning trades in professional sports activities historical past. Led by governor Jeanie Buss, president of basketball operations Rob Pelinka and new proprietor Mark Walter, the Lakers have established an in depth rapport with Doncic, his chief model officer and enterprise supervisor Lara Beth Seager, and Duffy.
Pelinka known as Doncic “one of many recreation’s most transcendent gamers” as a part of the extension announcement.
“Luka is an absolute killer on the courtroom, and blends that with a novel generosity and take care of the neighborhood,” Pelinka stated. “Above all else, Luka will lead our franchise to pursue future championships, a aim that can endlessly outline the Lakers.”
Doncic averaged 28.2 factors, 8.2 rebounds and seven.7 assists with the Mavericks and Lakers in a career-low 50 video games final season. He led the Lakers in factors, rebounds, assists, steals and 3-pointers per recreation after making his debut with the workforce Feb. 10.
A five-time first-team All-NBA choice, Doncic has additionally been making his presence with the franchise felt off the courtroom. He has performed a big half within the Lakers’ offseason pickups of Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart, holding a superb relationship with Ayton, the No. 1 decide of their shared draft class, and recruiting Good with a number of calls whereas touring overseas on household and basketball commitments.
In Monday’s difficulty of Males’s Well being, Doncic additionally detailed the most important adjustments to his physique and conditioning.
Doncic’s skill to keep up his physique was a sticking level whereas with the Mavericks, and Lakers coach JJ Redick made a degree of claiming in his last assembly with the media that gamers wanted to “get in championship form.”
Doncic has individually performed at a championship stage within the postseason. He grew to become the primary participant in NBA historical past to guide the playoffs in factors, rebounds, assists and steals throughout the Mavericks’ 2024 run to the Finals, which resulted in a loss to the Boston Celtics.
In his first postseason with the Lakers, Doncic grew to become the fifth participant in franchise historical past to common 30 factors, 5 rebounds and 5 assists in a sequence. Nevertheless, Los Angeles was eradicated within the first spherical by the Minnesota Timberwolves in 5 video games.