EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Almost six months ago to the day, Luka Dončić sat in a similar spot he was in Saturday afternoon inside the Los Angeles Lakers practice facility, but there was a significant contrast in his demeanor.
During his introductory news conference with the franchise in early February, smiles and grins came across the face of the 26-year-old Slovenian star, but it was clear through his tone and body language that he was still emotionally and mentally reeling from the shocking trade that brought him to Los Angeles from the Dallas Mavericks.
That wasn’t the case Saturday, when a noticeably slimmer Dončić and the Lakers were fresh off signing a three-year, $165 million contract extension that further solidified Dončić as the face of the franchise.
“I was thinking, even obviously not at the moment when I got traded, but later on when I started playing, I wanted to be here,” Dončić reflected. “This is an amazing organization. We have a trust in each other. Honestly, I decided (to sign the extension) pretty (quickly).”
There were no somber emotions this time from Dončić’s side, with Balkan music blasting throughout the practice facility before he and Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka held a news conference to celebrate Dončić’s extension.
“Six months ago, the Los Angeles Lakers chose Luka Dončić through a trade where he came to our franchise,” Pelinka said. “(On Saturday) Luka Dončić chose the Los Angeles Lakers, and that is a monumental moment in Lakers history.
“And we could not be more grateful for (Dončić) choosing this partnership. The best young basketball player in the universe joins for the long-term future the best sports franchise on the globe.”
A photo collection of memorable moments from Dončić’s brief time with the Lakers and with the Slovenian national team was on display on the practice floor.
“Being a Laker is an honor and I wanted to be here,” Dončić said. “Obviously, when you look over here, so many great names and what they achieved. I want to be up there too one day.”
And as Dončić sat alongside Pelinka, with championship banners and the retired numbers of Lakers legends surrounding them, it was a reminder of the goals Dončić and the franchise share for the future — short and long term.
“We have a great team. We have what we need to compete for the championship,” Dončić said. “I’ll try to win every game no matter what. We got some new great guys on the team, so, you know, we’re going to go for it.”
Even with Dončić approaching the prime of his career and the Lakers making roster upgrades that also allowed them to preserve flexibility to improve the roster in future offseasons, Pelinka made clear the significance of Dončić’s deal for the team’s ability to be a championship contender now.
Dončić was central to the Lakers’ offseason moves outside of the contract extension, helping recruit Deandre Ayton and Marcus Smart to Los Angeles.
“It’s the centerpiece and the foundation piece,” Pelinka said of signing Dončić to an extension. “We like the upgrades we were able to make to the roster. But by no means are we going to be satisfied. Every year we’re on an infinite cycle to try to improve this team and win championships and we’ll stay committed to that work.”
Many key members from Dončić’s camp — including his dad, Sasa, agent Bill Duffy and business manager Lara Beth Seager — were in attendance. So were Lakers coach JJ Redick and several of Dončić’s teammates, including Ayton, Smart, Maxi Kleber, Gabe Vincent, Rui Hachimura and Adou Thiero.
Six months ago, Dončić and the Lakers celebrated the start of a new chapter while Dončić closed the page on another. And Saturday was a celebration of committing to a continued partnership.
One notable absence from Saturday’s event was Lakers star LeBron James, the 40-year-old four-time MVP who opted into his $52.6 million player option for 2025-26 for an unprecedented 23rd NBA season.
Shortly after James, the league’s all-time leading scorer who turns 41 in December, opted into his deal, his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, released a statement reiterating James’ desire to compete for a championship and that they would “evaluate what’s best for LeBron at this stage in his life and career.”
James has a no-trade clause in his contract.
“All the interactions we’ve had with LeBron and his camp, Rich in particular, have been positive and supportive,” Pelinka said. “The dialogue with him has been open and constant.
“And then in terms of LeBron’s career, the No. 1 thing we have to do there is respect he and his family’s decision in terms of how long he’s going to play — that’s first and foremost. And we want to respect his ability to come up with his timetable on that. That’s really important, but if he had a chance to retire a Laker, that would be great.”