As the Los Angeles Lakers attempt to navigate their busy offseason, it’s vital to remain updated on news surrounding the organization.
Although Los Angeles’ season only ended a few days ago, their newly-acquired phenom, Luka Doncic, made a massive announcement on his future with the Lakers, per a recent report.
"I would be shocked if there's not some sort of (contract) extension this summer, you know, and what that looks like, there's a lot of factors,” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on the Dan Patrick Show Monday.
“With what I know of Luka, and I haven't talked to him directly about this, but you know, talking to people who know Luka well, I think he wants to give the Lakers, like, he's fully committed to L.A. now."
"His heart was broken, but he's fully committed now to the Lakers, and you know, his goal now is to win championships with that franchise."
Doncic was asked about his thoughts on potentially signing a contract extension ($229 million) with the Lakers this summer after Los Angeles’ season-ending loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves last Wednesday, and his answer probably didn’t satisfy fans.
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“I didn’t think about it yet,” Doncic told reporters. “I’ve been focused on basketball. So, obviously, this is the time now to think about everything.”
Doncic’s first campaign with Los Angeles ended prematurely, but judging by his on-court demeanor and attitude, it isn’t far-fetched to say that his experience was positive.
While the recently traded ex-Dallas Mavericks stud got off to a rocky start with the Lakers, his fourth contest with the organization gave Los Angeles an idea of what to expect regularly.
Doncic finished with 32 points on 45% field goal shooting and 44.4% three-point shooting, 10 rebounds, and seven assists in a dominant 123-100 road victory over the Denver Nuggets.
Doncic, an unfazed point guard who’s always a step ahead of opponents mentally, averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists in 28 regular-season games with the Lakers.
The 26-year-old pro contributed 30.2 points per game, grabbed 7.0 rebounds, and dished out 5.8 assists per contest in the postseason.
Still, the Minnesota Timberwolves were the better team in the series, allowing them to extend their season after closing out the Lakers in Game 5 of the first round.
If MacMahon's report holds merit, expect Doncic to prove his long-term commitment to Los Angeles by signing a game-changing contract extension this summer.
More NBA: Lakers could cut ties with $215 million ex-Mavericks star via blockbuster trade, per writer