Everything the Los Angeles Lakers have done this summer points to the fact that Luka Doncic is staying in Southern California for the long term.
The future of LeBron James remains unknown, but at this point, the Lakers are looking further into the future than he plans to play. That’s why, according to Sam Quinn of CBS Sports, the Lakers are setting themselves up to land a superstar to pair with Doncic over the next few years.
While landing someone during or before next summer might be great, Los Angeles has 2027 circled on their calendar. For the time being, both Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic are two names they are poised to go after. Both have player options for that summer, and both would fit very well with the perimeter-centric star they just locked down for the next few years.
“For the time being, both Nikola Jokić and Giannis Antetokounmpo are set to become free agents in 2027,” Quinn wrote. “They are banking on someone, whether it’s Antetokounmpo, Jokić or someone we aren’t expecting, to become unhappy somewhere else. The cap space is their leverage, their way of saying ‘you can give us your star or we can take him.’”
Doncic just signed a deal to stay in Los Angeles until 2028 at the earliest. After 2027, they have nearly half the salary cap free on the books, meaning they could be set up particularly well to land a superstar like Antetokounmpo or Jokic, whether in free agency or through a trade.
The Lakers’ Master Plan
This plan hinges on the fact that Doncic stays with the Lakers long-term. All signs point to that being the case, especially considering the historic payday he could get down the road.
First, let’s begin with Antetokounmpo. He’s the one who’s been more outspoken about his future, and though any speculation remains just that, he could be a superstar the Lakers are willing to fork over a big heap to land.
“For the first time in his career, Antetokounmpo is open-minded about exploring whether his best long-term fit is remaining in Milwaukee or playing elsewhere,” Shams Charania said in May.
It shocked the NBA world. While rumors quieted for the next few months, Charania restated that claim just days after Doncic signed his extension.
“There is nothing set in stone about whether or not Giannis Antetokounmpo stays in Milwaukee or whether he wants to leave elsewhere,” Charania said on First Take on August 4th. “That process has been continuing. There’s been some conversations he’s having with his inner circle.”
Antetokounmpo can sign another extension with the Milwaukee Bucks next offseason, but after Charania’s reporting, that’s not something the team should expect.
Jokic Remains A Mystery
The Jokic side of things is a bit more speculative. He had the chance to sign a massive deal to stay with the Denver Nuggets this summer, but has yet to put ink to paper. If we were to stay, the contract he was offered was more than generous, but leaving the deal on the table could mean one of three things.
First, it could mean retirement. Jokic has been open about the fact that he doesn’t want to play in the NBA for a long time, and he could end things once his current contract runs out. Secondly, it could mean he’s waiting for an even bigger deal. Lastly, it could mean that he wants a change of scenery. As a competitor, he wants to win, and maybe Jokic believes weighing his options in 2027 is his best bet.
Additionally, he and Doncic are friends, and as Quinn wrote, “Should things go south in Denver, he’d have a close friend waiting for him in Los Angeles.”
Both Antetokounmpo and Jokic would be 32 years old when a hypothetical move would take place, a bit outside of the considered ‘prime’ for NBA players.
Regardless, both have accomplished things on the court that were seen as impossible for a long time, meaning even in the potential ‘second-half’ of their careers, the Lakers acquiring either of them would still be worth the effort.
It Wouldn’t Be Anything New
All this being said, Quinn gave a spectacular response to any questions that this hypothetical could raise. Los Angeles has never had a problem landing star talent, and with Doncic, it only makes it a more appealing place to go.
“The 29 other teams are playing one game. The Lakers are playing another,” Quinn wrote. “Other teams worry about losing their stars. The Lakers plot to steal everyone else’s…They didn’t have to worry about Dončić forcing his way out, and they won’t have to worry about someone trying to join him.”
“Now that Dončić is locked up, the Lakers are almost certainly going to find him a running mate, and once again [like the Doncic trade], it’s going to be a heist.”
They did it with Shaquille O’Neal, and they did it with James. As long as the Lakers exist, they will always be a top option for any free agent, with superstar status or not, to flock to in search of winning a championship.
Quinn didn’t say definitively that this is the direction the Lakers would go. He hinted that it would likely be their best option, and like them landing Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks, it would stun the NBA world.
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