Lakers Could Have ‘Only’ Bait for $276 Million LeBron James Replacement

The Los Angeles Lakers could have a secret weapon in what many around the league hope is a real shot at signing Nikola Jokic in the future: Luka Doncic.

Jokic is passing on contract extension talks with the Denver Nuggets this offseason. His decision is easily explainable as a financial decision. The Nuggets have also struggled to recapture the magic of their 2023 NBA Finals run.

The Denver Gazette’s Mark Kiszla posited that Doncic is Jokic’s “brother from another mother.”

“Jokic is built differently than LeBron James or Kevin Durant. Chasing the greener grass or the biggest bag of cash? Joker’s not about that action. He and Denver are a great fit because the bright lights don’t dazzle Jokic. What he cherishes most about basketball is the brotherhood of the game. But that did get me thinking when news broke last week that the Lakers are ready to thank King James for the memories and build their future around Luka Doncic,” Kiszla wrote on July 12.

“Who is Luka’s basketball brother from another mother? A fondness for Doncic might be the only thing that could tempt Jokic to leave the Nuggets. If they ever joined forces, Luka and Jokic would steamroll the NBA until their wheels fell off.”

Jokic is entering Year 3 of a five-year, $276 million contract but has a player option for the 2027-28 season.

He may still be a long-shot pairing with Doncic for the Lakers for that reason.

LeBron James Sends Clear Message About Lakers Future

James’ future with the Lakers, particularly following Doncic’s arrival, remains uncertain. That has created room for speculation, though others will be available sooner without a trade.

“When Luka Doncic goes for Anthony Davis, it was like our AD’s, joining a win-now team in Dallas, Luka Doncic, faces the franchise for the next 8 to 10 years. That was really the vision. But anytime you’re in LA, you’re the Lakers, the goal is to compete for a championship,” ESPN’s Shams Charania said on Sirius XM NBA Radio on July 10.

“LeBron James, … he’s at the point of his career – 40 years old, gonna be 41 – he wants to play for a championship next season. He’s made that abundantly clear. His agent, Rich Paul, told me that very directly. He wants a realistic chance to compete for a championship. And so, no matter if he has one year left, two years left, or three years left. He wants to be in that mode, and he feels clearly that the Lakers are more on a futuristic mindset, where does that go?”

James, perhaps unintentionally, helped fan the flames. He said he had “nothing to talk about” when asked about his future with the Lakers. James is on an expiring two-year, $101.3 million contract.

“I think that that situation will play out over the next two months,” Charania said. “I really think there will be some hard conversations eventually that’ll need to happen there.

Luka Doncic Could Be Flight Risk for Lakers

For all of the speculation around James’ future with the Lakers and what may happen with Jokic and the Nuggets, Doncic’s future also remains unresolved. He is in Year 4 of a five-year, $215.1 million deal. He is eligible to sign a four-year, $223 million extension this summer.

Doncic also has a player option for the 2026-27 season.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst and Ramona Shelburne noted the “uncomfortable position” Doncic could put the Lakers in.

“The Lakers are keenly aware — as is the rest of the league — that Doncic has a monumental decision to make starting Aug. 2, when he’s eligible to sign an extension with the team,” Shelburne and Windhorst wrote on July 11. The prized star can opt to be a free agent next summer under his current deal.

“Doncic can add four more years and $223 million, and the Lakers will assuredly offer exactly that, but he might prefer a three-year $160 million deal instead because it sets up better for future contracts. The Lakers will gladly accept either, though they might have to be patient; Doncic is playing for the Slovenian national team this summer in high-intensity EuroBasket, which runs through mid-September, and his NBA contract business might wait until then.”

A lot can occur before then, leaving Doncic’s future with the Lakers open to speculation.