Luka Doncic already made headlines this past weekend by signing a three-year extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. While it’s a huge step for both Doncic and the purple and gold, the rich could get even richer.
Lakers Star Could Enter Unprecedented Territory After Extension
Report: Lakers May Offer Massive Money to Doncic in 2028
According to Ashish Mathur of Lakers Daily, the Slovenian star is expected to decline the player option on his extension in favor of a historic five-year contract worth more than $400 million.
“A future Hall of Famer, Doncic will become the first player in NBA history to make $80 million per year when he signs that massive new extension in 2028. Unless Doncic suffers a career-threatening injury before the summer of 2028, the Lakers plan to offer him a five-year deal worth more than $400 million, the source said.”
The source also told Mathur that Doncic’s next contract will feature a no-trade clause.
A three-year extension allows Doncic to recoup money lost from a $345 million supermax the Dallas Mavericks refused to offer. The projected $417 million deal will help him make that back and then some. The summer of 2028 will already see seismic paydays (e.g. Jayson Tatum’s $67 million or Jaylen Brown’s $64 million). Doncic’s rumored deal will only add to the fray and, perhaps, get the league one step closer to whopping nine-figure annual salaries.
A Worthy Potential Investment
While the numbers are staggering, the Lakers’ commitment to Doncic should come as no surprise, seeing how both sides acclimated to each other in record time and how they have a shared vision of bringing more banners to LA (with, and eventually without, LeBron James).
At a press conference following Doncic’s three-year extension, Lakers president and General Manager Rob Pelinka called it a “monumental moment,” saying: “The best young basketball player in the universe joins for the long-term future, the best sports franchise on the globe.”
“Above all else, Luka will lead our franchise to pursue future championships, a goal that will forever define the Lakers,” he added.
In discussing the team’s ambitions, Pelinka also reiterated a commitment toward improvement, which will undergo grueling tests even before 2028. The Western Conference is growing stronger, core Lakers (namely Austin Reaves) are destined for free agency, and the highly-restrictive Collective Bargaining Agreement runs through 2030. It’s why—in the next two seasons—the Lakers’ actions must speak louder than their words.
The purple and gold are already on the right path thanks to a successful offseason. Though Doncic’s current extension is the cherry on top, the team appears content with the acquisitions of Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart and Jake LaRavia. The 26-year-old even went as far to say, “We have what we need to compete for a championship.” All they have to do is go out and prove it.
Though it’s nice to think about the Lakers’ massive commitment to Doncic, fans and the front office must focus on the season ahead, as the team prepares to transition from James to Doncic while keeping the lone goal in mind.
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