An eventful season for the Los Angeles Lakers has finally come to a close. Even though the Lakers were not able to achieve what they set out to do, this will give the team some time to reflect upon their mistakes and lock in for the upcoming campaign. One player who’ll definitely need to exhale is Southern California’s newest superstar, Luka Doncic. The 26-year-old point guard will finally get to take a breather after what’s been “the most unexpected year of Luka’s life.” Indeed, it’s been a rollercoaster ride for Doncic, who unexpectedly got traded from Dallas and then had to settle in quickly alongside Lebron James and Co. While he deserves some much-needed rest after this saga, Luka has other plans for his offseason.

According to ESPN’s Dave McMenamin, “He will spend the summer playing for the Slovenian men’s national basketball team at EuroBasket, sources said. He’ll be accompanied by members of his ‘body team’ — Slovenian national team strength coach Anže Maček and physiotherapist Javier Barrio Calvo — throughout the offseason.” Doncic will be heading back to Europe to participate in this year’s European Basketball Championship to represent Slovenia. The point guard will be playing against the likes of France and hosts Poland, who have been drawn in the same group. He will try to emulate his performances from 2017 when he was a key part of the Slovenian team that won the championship in Turkey.

This offseason carries massive significance from his perspective in terms of proving whether he’s capable of becoming LA’s franchise player or not. Moreover, given Doncic’s weight and conditioning issues, something which has been the talk of the town since his departure from Texas. The 26-year-old will be accompanied by physiotherapists throughout his time in Poland. The Slovenian superstar has dealt with several lower leg injuries throughout the season. LA’s management is keen on improving the point guard’s fitness in the offseason. Head coach JJ Redick has already sent a message out for the entire roster to get into better shape as they gear up for the upcoming season.

Amid this, Doncic heading to Europe isn’t what the team had in mind. However, hopefully, this decision will help the guard get in better shape for the next season. Moreover, he could come back improved and rejuvenated before the Lakers camp for next season tips off. It will be interesting to see how Doncic does in the EuroBasket, as there will be a lot of eyes on him. In the meantime, there’s more to think about for both the LA Lakers and Luka Doncic. They will have to decide about Doncic’s future as he becomes eligible for an extension in August, which puts his future in Hollywood in the balance.

Luka Doncic’s future in Los Angeles faces uncertainty amid extension talks

After signing Luka Doncic in a blockbuster move that sent shockwaves throughout the basketball world, Doncic’s future was always in the air. That’s because his current $215 million five-year deal runs out after the 2026-27 season. Moreover, he becomes eligible for an extension in August. So, the 26-year-old will have a big decision to make over the offseason. However, it seems he and the Lakers are on the same page. Reportedly, the LA front office is all for Luka Doncic. Which isn’t that surprising, given they went big to acquire him from the Dallas Mavericks.

In fact, sources suggest that the team is ready to give Doncic full freedom to decide the structure of this extension. Well, Doncic has also made it clear ever since his move to Southern California that he sees his long-term future with the Purple & Gold. So, this could indicate that the 26-year-old will opt to ink a long-term deal with the Lakers. On August 2, Doncic can weigh in on multiple options for his extension with LA. He can either ink a four-year $229 million deal or even sign a shorter three-year $165 million extension. Moreover, he is also set to reach the 10-year mark in the NBA, which would make him eligible for 35 percent max.

The deal is expected to be worth around a whopping $418 million over five years, on the basis of an expected 10 percent increase in the annual cap. One more option Luka could view is signing a $296 million five-year extension. While Doncic has said that he hasn’t had much time to think about the extension, after an early exit from the postseason, he might have plenty of time to weigh all of his options on the table. The five-time All-Star will have a massive decision to make during the postseason as he heads to Poland to represent his nation first.