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BREAKING: Luka Dončić has signed a 3-year, $165 million max contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers, according to Shams Charania. https://youtu.be/mFZTwWfwQO4?si=NYUuJ_pFUDsEb87q

Luka Dončić has officially committed to his new team after a blockbuster trade last season.

Dončić inked a three-year, $165 million contract with the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday, agent Bill Duffy told ESPN's Shams Charania.

Dončić was eligible for a four-year, $229 million extension this offseason. Had he waited until next summer, he would have been eligible for a five-year, $296 million deal.

While Dončić ultimately agreed to an extension, the Lakers reportedly were "a little bit stressed out about" whether he would sign, according to ESPN's Brian Windhorst.

However, Dončić gave the team a good indication that he was ready to commit to the Lakers when he helped recruit a handful of players to Los Angeles in July.

Dallas stunned the NBA world in February by sending Dončić to Los Angeles in return for Anthony Davis in one of the biggest trades in league history last season. Dončić was already the face of the franchise and took them to the NBA Finals a year ago.

Dončić's new contract is plenty lucrative, but it's not quite as much as he could've made as a member of the Mavericks. ESPN's Bobby Marks reported after the trade that Dončić was no longer eligible for the super-max extension this summer that would have paid him a whopping $345 million over five years.

Dončić would have been more than deserving of that deal, but it ultimately wasn't his decision.

The 26-year-old averaged 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game across his time in Dallas and Los Angeles during the 2024-25 season.

The Lakers had a late-season surge upon Dončić's arrival and ended up earning the No. 3 seed in the playoffs, but they failed to meet the lofty expectations set for them heading into the postseason. Los Angeles fell to the Minnesota Timberwolves in five games in the first round.

On the surface, it was a disappointing result considering Dončić is one of the best players in the league and was playing alongside an all-time great in LeBron James, but Los Angeles' roster was built around a team that had a star big man in Davis rather than a star point guard like Dončić.

The Lakers have tweaked their roster some this offseason to better complement Dončić, and they should be in a position to compete for a title this year.

While Dončić didn't get the super-max extension he could have landed in Dallas, he's now with a franchise with deep pockets and could eventually be due for an even bigger payday. For now, he'll look to deliver the Lakers their 18th championship.

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The #Lakers enter the 2025-26 season under second-year head coach JJ Redick with a roster fully geared for a title run‼️

This offseason, the Lakers added Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart, and Jake LaRavia, giving them size, defense, and floor spacing.

The projected starting lineup features #LukaDoncic, Austin Reaves, #LeBronJames, Rui Hachimura, and Ayton-a combination of elite playmaking, shooting, and interior presence.

Smart brings defensive leadership off the bench, while LaRavia provides shooting & defensive depth. Rookie Adou Thiero is more of a developmental piece and unlikely to see significant minutes early.

💰 Financially, the Lakers sit $33.8M over the cap, just under the first apron, and well below the second apron. Their payroll is around $194M, leaving space for only a veteran minimum and a two-way deal. The biggest remaining hole is an elite 3-and-D wing who can defend top scorers and knock down shots—a priority for the front office as they look to round out the rotation.

With Luka and LeBron leading the charge, and Ayton fortifying the paint, the Lakers are firmly in championship-or-bust mode. 🏆💜💛

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Marcus Smart To Join Lakers After Buyout With Wizards

Marcus Smart has reached an agreement on a buyout with the Wizards and plans to join the Lakers once he clears waivers, according to Shams Charania of ESPN. Smart’s new contract will be worth $11MM over two years and will contain a player option for the second season.

Sources tell Charania that Luka Doncic played a large role in recruiting Smart to L.A. He adds that the Lakers, Suns and Bucks all received permission from Washington to contact Smart, and he had “positive conversations” with all three teams.

The Lakers can use their full biannual exception to add Smart, according to cap expert Yossi Gozlan (Twitter link). They’ll have to clear about $4.2MM in salary to have access to the full amount, which may mean parting with Shake Milton, who has a $3MM non-guaranteed salary, and Jordan Goodwin, who only has a $25K guarantee on his $2.35MM salary. If that happens, Gozlan states that L.A. wouldn’t have enough available apron space to sign a 15th man at the beginning of the season (Twitter link).

Milton’s salary for 2025/26 will become fully guaranteed on Sunday, so the Lakers will have to act fast if they plan to waive him.

If Smart gives back the equivalent of the biannual exception in his buyout, the Wizards will be more than $30MM below the luxury tax, Gozlan adds. Washington has its full $14.1MM non-taxpayer midlevel exception remaining, along with $13.4MM and $9.9MM trade exceptions.

Smart, 31, was named Defensive Player of the Year in 2022, but his career took a downturn after a trade to Memphis in the summer of 2023. Injuries limited him to 39 total games in a year and a half with the Grizzlies before he was sent to Washington in a three-team deal at this year’s trade deadline.

If Smart can stay healthy, he’ll bring much-needed defensive help to the Lakers’ backcourt. He appeared in 19 games with Memphis and 15 games with the Wizards last season, averaging 9.0 points, 2.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists in 20 minutes per night with .393/.348/.761 shooting numbers.

The Wizards have added numerous young players to their roster this summer, so there likely wouldn’t have been regular for playing time for Smart, who had a $21.6MM expiring contract. There were rumors last month that Smart was on the trade market, but the Wizards evidently couldn’t find a team willing to take on his salary.

So Z Nation, what do you think about the Lakers signing Marcus Smart?

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BREAKING: Deandre Ayton Agrees to 2-Year, $16.6M With The Lakers

Deandre Ayton has agreed to sign with the Los Angeles Lakers, sources tell ESPN. Between Portland and L.A., Ayton will earn $34 million next season. Agents Nima Namakian of Innovate Sports and Bill Duffy of WME Sports reached the deal with Lakers president Rob Pelinka.

The Lakers find their starting center in Ayton, the 2018 No. 1 overall pick who is the only player in NBA history to average 15+ points and 60%+ shooting in the postseason. He has career averages of 16.4 points and 10.5 rebounds on 59% shooting over the last seven seasons.

So Z Nation, what do you think about the Lakers landing Deandre Ayton???

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