As the summer rolls on, several teams are doing their best to get their superstars to sign extensions and commit ahead of the new season. The Los Angeles Lakers, for example, are eager to lock in Luka Doncic. However, the process keeps getting delayed. Brian Windhorst has now explained the reason behind the holdup.
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Like many international stars in the NBA, Doncic left the U.S. after the season ended. But this time, it wasn’t just for a vacation. He’s fully committed to playing for the Slovenian national team, and that has made the Lakers’ front office a bit uneasy.
Doncic is set to play in several exhibition games before eventually taking part in EuroBasket. Outside of the World Cup and the Olympics, it’s arguably the most important tournament for European players.
“He’s playing for the Slovenia National team at the European championships, frequently called EuroBasket. One of the most valuable tournaments for the Europeans outside of the Olympics,” stated Windy, who pointed out that Doncic won this with Slovenia back in 2017 as an 18-year-old.
What makes the situation stressful for Lakers fans is that Doncic might not even be back in the States until the fall. Plus, it’s very likely that he won’t be dealing with any business until the tournament concludes.
“He may not be back in the U.S. if the Slovenians get all the way until the end, until late September,” revealed Windhorst. “In the past, when playing for the National team, he has not done NBA business, including NBA contracts.”
“He can certainly pledge his intention to sign with the Lakers, but do not freak out if you do not hear from Luka contractually until September,” added the 47-year-old NBA insider.
As much as the Lakers organization shouldn’t panic, it’s understandable why there’s some tension around the situation. LA is already staring down the possibility of a LeBron James departure, and with the new media rights deal and upcoming CBA, there’s a lot of money heading Luka’s way.
No matter what happens, the Lakers need a bounce-back year. Even with both LeBron and The Don on the roster, LA got bounced in the first round by Anthony Edwards and the Timberwolves. Sure, they’ve added DeAndre Ayton, who helps address their size issue. But without Doncic, what’s it all for?
As Windhorst said, an extension will likely get signed. The Lakers just better hope it happens sooner rather than later.
