When the Los Angeles Lakers acquired star point guard Luke Doncic from the Dallas Mavericks back in February for Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick, many credited Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka for pulling off the heist of the century.
The deal seemingly came out of left field, and many believed the Lakers fleeced Mavericks GM Nico Harrison in landing who Pelinka called a “one-of-a-kind, global superstar.”
Less than six months after that trade, the Lakers locked Doncic up with a three-year, $165 million extension on Saturday.
Moments after the Doncic news broke, Pelinka released a statement in which he revered the 26-year-old Slovenian while also seemingly anointing him in a symbolic passing-of-the-torch moment as the Lakers’ new face of the franchise, replacing future Hall of Famer LeBron James.
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“Today is a monumental moment for our franchise,” Pelinka said, via Lakers beat reporter Mike Trudell. “Luka Dončić’s future is with the Los Angeles Lakers. Luka is one of the game’s most transcendent players, and his on-court dominance and passion is without compare. From the moment Luka became a Laker, there was an immediate connection and admiration between Luka and our fanbase.
“You can feel it in your spirit when you attend a Lakers game. Luka is an absolute killer on the court, and blends that with a unique generosity and care for the community. Above all else, Luka will lead our franchise to pursue future championships, a goal that will forever define the Lakers.”
The new deal will make Doncic a free agent during the summer of 2028 when he’s eligible for a projected five-year, $417 million extension, according to ESPN’s Shams Charania.
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Doncic, a five-time All-Star and All-NBA first-team selection who led the league in scoring in 2024, made quite the impact after being traded to L.A. on Feb. 2.
In 28 regular-season games, Doncic averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, 7.5 assists, and 1.6 steals per contest. He also led the Lakers in both scoring (30.2 points) and assists (5.8) during the postseason while ranking second only to James in rebounding (7.0 per game).
Though the Lakers were eliminated from the NBA Playoffs in Round 1 by the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games, many believe they’re primed to make a much deeper run next season after adding former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton, former Defensive Player of the Year Marcus Smart, and former first-round pick Jake LaRavia.