The Los Angeles Lakers' front office had two primary objectives this summer that they set out to achieve. One was addressing the gaping hole at the center position, and the franchise accomplished that by landing former No. 1 overall pick Deandre Ayton on a two-year deal. The other was convincing Luka Doncic to sign an extension with the franchise this summer rather than putting it off until the summer of 2026.
This second goal remains unfulfilled, and it could be some time before Pelinka and the front office receive the type of clarity from Doncic they desire, which, in the end, would only create more headaches inside the team facility.
Luka's Offseason Plans Could Test Lakers' Patience During Negotiations
Los Angeles cannot even offer Doncic a three-year, $165 million extension until Aug. 2. Any decision from the Slovenian star is, at best, still weeks away. This is an important fact to clarify to eliminate any confusion regarding the reasoning for the delay.
What could cause headaches for Lakers fans throughout Southern California is the fact that Doncic will not only be outside the country when the Lakers submit the offer, but he will be competing in an International tournament, which will certainly take up the bulk of his attention. Luka begins training with the Slovenian national team on July 23 and will participate in a series of exhibition games before the EuroBasket 2025 Tournament tips off on Aug. 28.
.@WindhorstESPN believes this offseason for the Lakers is primarily about Luka, not LeBron.
— Get Up (@GetUpESPN) July 10, 2025
"Regardless of who they sign at center, regardless of what LeBron does with his option ... the number one most important thing for the Lakers this offseason is getting Luka Doncic into a… pic.twitter.com/kgHUao8GrR
"And I'm going to sound this warning now: he's probably not going to sign August 2nd," Windhorst said. "He's going to be playing with the Slovenian national team until mid-September, and he may not entertain that issue until he comes back to the U.S. at that time. So, it could be a long wait, but make no mistake—this offseason is not about LeBron for the Lakers. It is about Luka."
With all of this on his plate over the next two months, there is a very real chance that Doncic does not even think about his extension options with Los Angeles until Slovenia completes its EuroBasket run. As Brian Windhorst noted during an appearance on ESPN's Get Up, this could ultimately stretch into September before a decision is made.
If Luka were to elect to pass on an extension with Los Angeles this summer and put off when he would be able to re-enter free agency next, he would be eligible to sign a four-year, $229 million max extension in 2026. However, prior reporting on the matter makes that particular scenario unlikely to play out.
Pelinka and Lakers fans will have to remain patient, as difficult as that may be, and let time run its course before they receive any decision from Doncic.