After an unexpected early exit in the playoffs, one contender needs to make a big decision this offseason.
The Los Angeles Lakers entered the 2025 playoffs with aspirations of winning an NBA championship with the duo of LeBron James and Luka Doncic leading the way. Although the team was ousted in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Lakers still have a bright future.
Of course, that bright future is because of Doncic. While James might not be around for much longer, the Lakers need to ensure that Doncic is the face of the purple and gold through the rest of this decade and beyond.
This offseason, the Lakers can look to lock up Doncic long-term and give the team some security moving forward. Considering Doncic’s quick attachment to Los Angeles, many believe the deal could come together quickly, including NBA insider Tim MacMahon.
"I would be shocked if there's not some sort of extension this summer," MacMahon said on an appearance on "The Dan Patrick Show" Tuesday. "You know, and what that looks like, there's a lot of factors, I don't want to bog you down with CBA minutia and all that kind of stuff. 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 absolutely 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."
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Doncic’s heart was broken after the Dallas Mavericks traded him in February, but he has found a new home with the Lakers. Considering Doncic is one of the best in basketball, his fate with the league’s most storied franchise could be determined over the next few months.
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