The Los Angeles Lakers believe they have their long-term centerpiece of the franchise in sharpshooting superstar Luka Doncic. Lakers fans celebrated last year when the Dallas Mavericks traded Doncic to Los Angeles and he was able to play with LeBron James during the last few months of the season.
Luka Doncic drills this INSANE trickshot fresh off his contract extension 🤯
(via @malika_andrews)
pic.twitter.com/1Qi7O7OEW0— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 2, 2025
Doncic signed a three-year extension with the Lakers that will reportedly pay him up to $165 million, according to The Athletic.
Assuming that he can stay relatively healthy and produce at a similar level (averaging 28.6 points per game during his first seven years in the NBA) during the next three seasons, Doncic will be eligible to put his signature on a five-year, $400 million deal. He will be in his 10th year at that point, and he will have a player option on a new deal.
Statistically, Doncic is one of the most impressive players in the NBA. Doncic is a five-time All-NBA player and a five-time All-Star. He won the league's scoring championship in the 2023-24 season. He won the Rookie of the Year Award in 2018-19 and finished third in MVP voting in the '23-24 season.
After signing his extension, Doncic was working on his shooting and put on a little bit of a show. He was able to hit shots from all over the court, and he also hit an out-of-bounds shot from beyond the baseline that easily swished even though he was at least 30 feet from the rim. The video proof of that shot was taken by ESPN NBA host Malika Andrews.
Doncic is not immune to criticism
While Doncic is clearly an impressive offensive player, he has been criticized for the way he takes care of his body and his defensive inconsistency.
Doncic has been listed at 6-6 and 230 pounds, but he has often displayed a prominent belly for a star NBA player. There have been multiple reports that he has taken his conditioning to a new level in the offseason, and the proof will come when the Lakers start playing preseason games in the fall.
Opposing teams have also taken advantage of his inconsistent defense in the past. When the Mavericks were in the NBA Finals two season ago against the Boston Celtics, Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown were able to take advantage of him throughout the series. The Celtics were victorious in five games.
Despite those issues, Doncic is one of the most creative and effective players in the NBA. His ability to hit clutch shots have been compared to Hall of Famer and all-time great Larry Bird. If he can improve his conditioning and defense, Doncic may eventually belong in a conversation about the game's greatest players.
