The Los Angeles Lakers view Luka Dončić as the future of the franchise. The team inked the 26-year-old to a three-year, $ 165 million max extension Saturday.

Per ESPN's Shams Charania, Dončić's deal features a player option in 2028, and he is now eligible for a projected five years and $ 417 million in 2028.

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The move doesn't come as a major surprise. Since he debuted with the Dallas Mavericks during the 2018-19 NBA season, Dončić has performed like one of the best players in the NBA. He won the Rookie of the Year Award that season, is a five-time All-Star and has five MVP finishes in the top eight.

It was always expected the Lakers would sign Dončić to a long-term deal after the team traded Anthony Davis, Max Christie and a first-round pick to Dallas in February in exchange for Dončić. You don't acquire a player of Dončić's caliber and allow him to walk after just a year and a half.

Prior to the extension, Dončić was set to enter what could have been the final year of his contract. He held a $ 48 million player option for the 2026-27 NBA season that he almost certainly would have declined in favor of receiving a massive deal on the free-agent market. 

The Lakers were never going to let Dončić get to that point, which is why a max extension was always assumed. The bigger question surrounding Dončić's next contract was its length. 

With Dončić signed, the Lakers now have their future secured. Dončić melded with the team well after being acquired in February. In 28 games in Los Angeles, Dončić averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists, essentially the same numbers he averaged with the Mavericks. 

Following the Lakers' postseason elimination, head coach JJ Redick challenged the team to get in "championship shape," which many perceived as a challenge aimed at Dončić, whose conditioning has been questioned during his career. By all accounts, Dončić heard that message. He's reportedly dropped "significant weight" ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season.

With LeBron James back, and Dončić possibly in the best shape of his career, the Lakers will enter the year with championship aspirations. While James' future with the franchise remains a question — he's 40 and only under contract for one more season — Dončić is talented enough to make the team a perennial contender after James leaves or retires.

That was always the plan when the team pulled off its shocking trade for Dončić in February. Following Saturday's extension, it's now the team's reality. 

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