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Luka Doncic's True Feelings on Being on the Lakers Revealed

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Ashish Mathur | Last updated May 2, 2025 1:08 PM ET

By now, everyone knows that Luka Doncic was devastated when the Dallas Mavericks traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers. The superstar forward wanted to spend his entire career with the Mavericks, who made the NBA Finals last year.

Doncic told Malika Andrews of ESPN that he threw his phone after the Mavericks sent him to the Lakers. The five-time All-Star cried during his return game to Dallas, causing some to speculate that Doncic wasn't happy playing for the Lakers despite the team having LeBron James.

Los Angeles can sign Doncic to a four-year, $229 million contract in August. Doncic will make $46 million next season. He has a player option worth $48.9 million for the 2026-27 season.

It's unknown if Doncic will sign an extension with the Lakers this summer. However, according to Dave McMemanin of ESPN, the 26-year-old feels wanted by the organization.

"For Luka," a source close to Doncic told ESPN, "he's kind of like, 'I'm wanted here.'"

Doncic averaged 28.2 points, 8.1 rebounds, and 7.5 assists with the Lakers in the regular season. He then put up 30.2 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 5.8 assists per game in the Minnesota Timberwolves series.

Despite having Doncic and James, the Lakers lost to the Timberwolves in five games. It's the second straight postseason Los Angeles has lost in the first round. As expected, James wants Doncic to stay in LA.

"I hope, obviously, [he stays long term]," James told ESPN. "Laker fans (expletive) love him here. L.A. has accepted him. We love him as a teammate, as a brother. But ultimately, he's got to make a decision for him."

It will be fascinating to see if Doncic signs an extension with the Lakers this summer.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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