With Luka Dončić now locked into a three-year, $165 million max extension with the Los Angeles Lakers — complete with a player option for 2028 — the franchise has clarity on its future centerpiece. But the question that immediately follows is just as pressing: what happens with LeBron James?
Some have speculated James might finish his career elsewhere, but agent Rich Paul has already confirmed he’s not going anywhere this season. That leaves the Lakers with a defining choice — construct a long-term contender around Dončić, or go all-in now to maximize what could be James’ final elite year.
Fox Sports’ Nick Wright believes the answer is obvious.
Forget Giannis & Jokić — Lakers Must Push Chips In Now for LeBron & Luka
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“I think it’s overwhelmingly likely that over the lifetime of this extension, Luka never has a teammate better than LeBron is right now,” Wright said on What’s Wright? With Nick Wright. “Maybe they’re going to get Giannis, and I’ll be wrong. Maybe they have their eyes on Joker, and I’ll be wrong. But Shai ain’t going anywhere. Tatum’s not going anywhere. And now we’re running out of people who are better than LeBron right now.”
For Wright, the message is clear — unless the Lakers have concrete intel on landing Giannis Antetokounmpo or Nikola Jokić in 2027 free agency, waiting for a superstar partner to magically appear is a dangerous gamble.
“Fair or not, there is some obvious frustration for LeBron,” Wright said. “If I were the Lakers, I’d prioritize pressing the gas even more on this season.”
The so-called “2027 plan” centers on keeping the cap sheet clean in hopes of pursuing Giannis or Jokić when they can hit free agency. Both are under contract through 2026–27 with player options for 2027–28, and while each has fueled some intrigue — Giannis with cryptic remarks about his future in Milwaukee, Jokić by declining an extension and alluding to retirement someday — there’s no guarantee either will actually leave. As Wright points out, banking on that possibility could mean wasting the final overlap of James’ greatness and Dončić’s prime.
Dončić himself is in no mood for patience. After averaging 28.2 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 7.7 assists last season, he made it clear he wants to chase a title now.
“I don’t want to wait,” Dončić told those close to him, per ESPN. “I had a taste of the Finals. I am getting back there. So, let’s do whatever we can now.”
The Lakers’ decision, then, comes down to urgency versus caution. Go all-in now, and they might squeeze a championship window out of the Dončić–James pairing. Hold back for 2027, and they risk being left without the stars they’re waiting for — and without another shot at a title in the LeBron era.