The Los Angeles Lakers are anxious in a pivotal offseason for the franchise that is in transition, not because of the threat of LeBron James demanding a trade, but because of Luka Dončić‘s upcoming contract extension.
According to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst, the Lakers are “a little bit stressed out” about it as August 2 gets closer. Beginning on that day, Dončić would be eligible to sign a four-year, $229 million max extension that the Lakers would certainly offer.
“This happens when it’s a player’s second max contract,” Windhorst said on “NBA Today” on July 15. “This is when players sometimes leave or are not really worth it. This is a stress max right now for Luka. The Lakers are a little bit stressed out about it… If he signs it, relief for the Lakers… If he does not sign it, he can be a free agent next summer when there are going to be 10-plus teams with cap space. You will see teams begin to open up maneuvers to try to chase Luka.”
Windhorst explained that there are three types of max contracts for an NBA player which he fondly calls the “fun max,” “stress max” and the “legacy max.”
The “fun max” is the rookie-max extension valued at 25% of the salary cap. The second one is this “stress max,” in which a player can sign up to 30% of the salary cap. The third one is the “legacy max,” also known as the supermax or the “designated veteran player extension,” in which an NBA star, depending on years of service, will be eligible to sign for up to 35% of the salary cap with 8% raise every year.
Luka Dončić Predicted to Sign Shorter Deal
GettyLuka Doncic may sign a shorter extension with the Lakers than expected.
It behooves Dončić not to sign the four-year max deal the Lakers would offer, according to Windhorst, as he could earn more down the road with a shorter deal.
In this case, Dončić will be able to recoup most of the money he lost when the Dallas Mavericks traded him. The Slovenian star was in line to receive a five-year, $345 million contract from the Mavericks. But since they traded him, he is no longer eligible for that.
ESPN’s front office insider Bobby Marks predicts Dončić will sign a shorter deal.
“More likely: a three-year, $165 million extension that includes a player option in the third year. The short-term extension allows Dončić to reenter free agency sooner and potentially recoup the $345 million he lost when he was traded from the Mavericks,” Marks wrote in his offseason guide for the Lakers.
The Lakers would prefer Dončić to sign the four-year deal for an added year of security and get him at a value contract, which can help them open up more cap room to re-tool the roster around him.
Brian Windhorst Issues Warning to Lakers Fans
Windhorst warned the Lakers fans not to expect Dončić to sign immediately on Aug. 2.
“Don’t react negatively, Lakers fans, if you don’t see a deal right away,” Windhorst said.
That’s because Dončić is busy in Slovenia preparing for the EuroBasket that will run from Aug. 27 to Sept. 14.
While the Lakers are “a little bit stressed out,” there are no signs of Dončić turning his back on the glamour franchise.
That was crystal clear when Dončić put out a statement following the sale of the majority stakes of the franchise to LA Dodgers owner Mark Walter for a staggering $10 billion valuation.
“The Lakers are an amazing organization. I’m looking forward to meeting Mark and excited about the future. I am also grateful to Jeanie and the Buss family for welcoming me to LA, and I’m happy that Jeanie will continue to be involved. I look forward to working with both of them to win championships!” Dončić posted on X.
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