While some Los Angeles Lakers fans are dreaming of Nikola Jokic coming to the franchise in the near future, there remains the reality that Luka Doncic won’t necessarily be a Laker for life.
Doncic can opt out of the three-year contract extension he signed last summer in 2028. Right now, the general expectation seems to be that if he does opt out at that time, he will do so merely to sign a supermax extension with Los Angeles. However, L.A. isn’t a championship contender right now, and if the team isn’t progressing enough toward becoming one, there is always the chance that he might at least test free agency.
Tim MacMahon of ESPN said on “The Hoop Collective” podcast that other NBA teams may be keeping an eye on how Doncic feels about the Lakers’ overall situation, in case he starts to feel any type of discontent.
“Just like Joker can profess his loyalty to the Denver Nuggets, there’s still going to be teams that are positioning themselves and monitoring that and all that kind of thing. It’s the same thing with Luka. He’s done nothing but express optimism and excitement about the Lakers since he signed that extension.
But it’s not that long-term of an extension. And you better believe there’s teams around the league that are looking at that situation saying, ‘Hey, if this thing goes sideways, we’d sure like to get Luka in midway through his prime.’”
This statement from MacMahon seems a bit more concerning given the fact that the Lakers’ ownership situation is currently in flux. However, according to one report, the team’s ownership saga “is not likely to have much impact on what happens with” the superstar moving forward.
Doncic is 27 years of age and coming off an MVP-caliber season. He could be in the very early stages of his prime, and now that he’s taking better care of his body, there is always the chance that he continues to play at a superstar level in his mid-30s or possibly even a bit beyond that.
He hasn’t won an NBA championship yet, and he has indicated multiple times that winning it all is his top priority.
The Lakers lost LeBron James and several other key rotation players earlier this summer, and while they brought in a number of very good complementary players, they could end up exiting in the first round of the 2027 playoffs. On the other hand, they could also be one real piece away from contending for the world title as soon as the 2027-28 season, once this new-look roster starts to build some real chemistry.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: MacMahon: NBA teams are monitoring if Luka Doncic could leave L.A.
Reporting by Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire / LeBron Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Robert Marvi, LeBron Wire | USA TODAY Network
