There are several issues that need to be resolved for the Los Angeles Lakers this offseason in order for them to become legitimate championship contenders next season.
They need to address their very weak center rotation, and they also need more functional depth at the guard and wing spots. In addition, as usual, LeBron James needs to decide whether he will stay with the Lakers for next season and, if he stays, whether that will mean opting into the final year of his contract or opting out and signing a new one.
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At the same time, Luka Doncic can opt out of his contract next summer. Some have been concerned that he could perhaps decide to leave and turn the February trade that sent him to Los Angeles from a tectonic gain to a big loss for the franchise.
But NBA insider Tim MacMahon said on “The Dan Patrick Show” that Doncic is committed to the Lakers.
“I would be shocked if there’s not some sort of extension this summer,” MacMahon said. “There’s a lot of factors. I don’t want to bog you down with CBA minutia and all that kind of stuff, but what I know of Luka, and I haven’t talked to him directly about this, but talking to people who know Luka well, I think he’s fully committed to LA now. His heart was broken, but he’s fully committed to the Lakers. His goal now is to win championships with that franchise.”
The Lakers can officially offer Doncic an extension worth $229 million over four years on Aug. 2. For him to maximize his earnings, he can sign a three-year extension with a player option for the third year this offseason, then opt out in 2028 and sign a “supermax” deal at that time.
Once an NBA player has been in the league for 10 seasons and meets certain individual criteria, he’s eligible for a “supermax” contract that can pay him up to 35% of his team’s salary cap.
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Doncic averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists a game while shooting 43.8% from the field and 37.9% from 3-point range in the regular season after being traded to L.A. His play in the team’s five-game loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves in the first round of the playoffs was somewhat uneven, as he struggled in a couple of fourth quarters. But he still managed to put up 30.2 points, 7.0 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game in that series.
This article originally appeared on LeBron Wire: Insider on whether Luka Doncic is committed to staying with Lakers