If it's up to Luka Doncic, he'll be in Los Angeles for a long time.
Ahead of Wednesday's 2026-27 season opener, the six-time All-Star was asked if he wants to retire as a member of the Los Angeles Lakers.
His response was encouraging for Lakers fans.
“Hopefully, yeah,” Doncic told the California Post's Melissa Rohlin.
There was, however, a catch.
“But as you know in this NBA business, you never know what’s going to happen. But I feel like I’ve found something here that’s very comfortable for me. And hopefully [that happens].”
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Doncic was traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Lakers in a shocking 2025 NBA trade deadline deal. The 2026-27 season will be his second full season in Los Angeles.
The team Doncic joined is very different from the one around him now. Not only is LeBron James no longer on the roster, but the Lakers made a number of offseason additions with Doncic specifically in mind.
Whether the Lakers like it or not, Doncic's future in L.A. will become a topic sooner rather than later. He's under contract through the 2028-29 season, although the final season is a $57.4 million player option.
That means Doncic would become a free agent after the 2027-28 season if he declines his option.
For now, at least, Doncic sounds comfortable in Los Angeles. Whether that leads to him finishing his career in a Lakers uniform remains to be seen.
