On Saturday, Luka Doncic signed a three-year, $165 million extension with the Los Angeles Lakers that will keep him with the franchise through the foreseeable future. While there had been little doubt that such a signing would eventually happen this offseason, it put at ease any concerns Lakers fans may have had about Doncic's commitment to the franchise.
While Doncic will be making plenty of money over the next few years and has a player option in 2028, there is another bonus hidden in his contract that NBA insider Marc Stein recently pointed out on his Substack.
“Dončić will be eligible to have a full no-trade clause added to his next deal as long as he goes to unrestricted free agency and signs an all-new contract,” reported Stein.
Stein also noted that “Dončić will have technically spent only 3 1/2 seasons as a Laker by the time he can decline his 2028-29 player option and become a free agent, but league sources tell The Stein Line that he'll indeed be deemed a four-year Laker at that point because he will have finished four consecutive seasons in purple and gold at that stage,” meaning he will have fulfilled the necessary requirements for such a clause to be added to his contract.
A huge commitment from the Lakers
If ever there were a player who would be worth such a gigantic commitment from a franchise moving forward, it would be Luka Doncic (unless you're the Dallas Mavericks).
Doncic performed relatively well during his stint with the Lakers down the stretch of last season, but concerns about his weight and conditioning reared their ugly heads in the team's playoff loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves, during which the Slovenian star constantly ran out of gas down the stretch of close games.
Those concerns seemed to be put to rest when recent photos from Men's Health Magazine dropped, showcasing Doncic in his slimmest condition since his rookie season, which could further make the Lakers' investment a smart one.
In any case, the Lakers' schedule for the 2025-26 season is slated to be released later this month.
