Luka Doncic's future with the Los Angeles Lakers may not be as certain as perhaps some across the league believe.
When the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Luka Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks at the NBA Trade Deadline, the overwhelming belief was that the storied franchise had landed another generational young player who would lead the team toward much more success in the future. In many ways, the future of the Lakers shifted from uncertainty with LeBron James to promise with Luka.
However, that may not be all that much of a certainty. As the Lakers head into the offseason in disappointing fashion, Luka hinted that his future with the franchise may not be a foregone conclusion that some seem to believe it to be, stating that he hasn't even thought about signing an extension with the team yet.
"I didn't think about it yet. I've been focused on basketball. So obviously this is the time now to think about everything.Luka Doncic
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While it's understandable that Luka has wanted to focus on this season, especially after the trade to the Lakers. However, on the other hand, I do find it slightly hard to believe that Luka hasn't thought about his future in the NBA. Generally speaking, that's one of the first realities that comes into your mind that you're almost forced to think about when sudden change enters your life.
It's not that I'm not buying Luka, but I do believe he could be playing a bit coy here. Luka could be holding his playing cards tight to his chest before he ultimately decides what he wants to do this offseason.
Luka Doncic's future will be much clearer after this offseason
Because of the big decision that Luka has to make this offseason, his - and the Lakers' - future will be much more evident after this summer. We're going to find out a lot about what the future holds for both Luka and the Lakers, depending on whether he signs a contract extension with the team or not.
If Luka were to sign an extension, it'd be pretty clear that he's locked in with the team. However, if he were to decline the extension or state he wants to wait to see how this next season plays out, it adds much more uncertainty for the Lakers. It would also likely give a strong indication that Luka may want to test the free agency market after the 2025-26 NBA season.
At least for now, the overwhelming belief is that Luka is going to sign a huge contract extension with the Lakers this offseason. However, with these recent comments from Luka, there's at least a slightly more intrigue surrounding this impending decision. And if he doesn't end up signing an extension this offseason, it could make for a truly intriguing year for the Lakers.