When the Los Angeles Lakers acquired Luka Doncic in the blockbuster trade ahead of last year’s deadline, it was a passing of the torch. LeBron James had been the face of the franchise for years, but now it’s Doncic’s turn.
It has become clear that the Lakers are focused on their future with Doncic. James is still on the team, but he is no longer the focal points of the franchise.
Doncic has been one of the NBA‘s biggest stars for years, but now his name has grown even bigger in Los Angeles. However, there are questions about his future.
Currently, the 26-year-old superstar has one year and a player option left on his current deal with the Lakers. Los Angeles would love to get him locked up long-term as soon as possible.
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Right now, it remains uncertain when a contract extension could be reached. It is widely expected that the two sides will work something out, but there has been no rush to do so yet.
ESPN NBA insider Brian Windhorst has now spoken out with an update about Doncic’s contract. He isn’t expecting to hear anything about a new deal in the immediate future.
During a television appearance on ESPN, Windhorst revealed more details about a potential timeline for Doncic and the Lakers.
“I would not expect it to happen that early,” Windhorst said. “He’s playing for the Slovenian national team. Do not freak out if you do not hear from Luka contractually until September.”
After being traded to Los Angeles in the middle of last season, Doncic played in 28 regular season games with the Lakers. He averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 1.6 steals per game, while shooting 43.8 percent overall and 37.9 percent from three-point range.
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He was a part of helping take the team to the playoffs, where they lost in the first round to the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the five postseason games he played, Doncic averaged 30.2 points per game to go along with seven rebounds, 5.8 assists, and a steal per contest.
Fans should expect to see Doncic work something out with Los Angeles. There is no reason to panic about his current contract status.
Expect to hear more about this situation as the season starts drawing closer. For now, there’s simply no rush from either the Lakers or Doncic.
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