Dave McMenamin of ESPN reveals that Luka Doncic was responsible in part for latest Lakers’ signings, and that his future is certain in Los Angeles for upcoming years.
The Los Angeles Lakers were more active in the twilight of free agency, while most other teams made the majority of their moves in the first days of July.
It appears that the future of Luka Doncic is already decided, although the Lakers cannot officially present an offer before August, as explained by Dave McMenamin of ESPN.
McMenamin states that Doncic was behind the Lakers’ most recent moves, as they brought in Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart after they both agreed to buyout deals with the Portland Trail Blazers and Washington Wizards, respectively.
“There was ownership by Luka Doncic this offseason to firmly state that he wants to be part of the Los Angeles Lakers moving forward, and that he wants others to join him,” McMenamin started.
“He made calls to Deandre Ayton, the guy who entered the league in the same draft as him as the No. 1 pick and is now the starting center for the Lakers. He also called Marcus Smart, who fills the point-of-attack defender role that Dorian Finney-Smith held last year. Finney-Smith now plays for the Houston Rockets.”
“As we look ahead, we focus on the August 2 date, when the Lakers can offer Doncic a $222 million extension over four years. And I would say, if you’re a Lakers fan, there’s no reason to worry about Luka reaching some sort of extension agreement.”
“He won’t just be a Laker next season, I think we’re talking about a three-year extension or more,” McMenamin concluded.
