There are Los Angeles Lakers fans who are already starting to worry that this roster is as close to finished as it will be heading into the 2025-26 season. The reason that should not prove true is the existing need to sell Luka Doncic on committing to the franchise long-term.
It should be well-known that 2025-26 is Doncic's final guaranteed year under contract before a player option for the 2026-27 NBA season. The need for the Lakers' newest superstar signing an extension has been clear since his arrival.
The conversation here immediately becomes a question of asking whether this is the team one sells to Doncic as a worthwhile commitment. Have the Lakers done enough to make this look like an attractive home to want to stay put at for a superstar entering his prime?
The answer to that is, absolutely not. The Lakers offseason thus far has had its moments, both good and kind of ugly. Whichever way one slices it, this summer still feels incomplete, much like this roster. That should offer reassurance that the job is far from finished in Los Angeles.
Lakers should still have a sneaky move or two on the way
It is easy to look at the amount of guaranteed contracts on the Lakers, identify a key decision date coming up for Shake Milton, and worry that Rob Pelinka will just waive the non-guaranteed money and call it a day. That is what one Buha's Block viewer brought up in a recent mailbag episode.
Jovan Buha thought that possibility did exist. This was especially concerning when following the patterns of previous Lakers' offseason periods, according to the insider. However, the approaching date for the Doncic extension was similarly highlighted as the difference-maker.
Buha said, "They probably need to do something else to improve this roster. ... They need to do ... another thing beyond just [DeAndre] Ayton and [Jake] LaRavia."
Looking at just those two signings, plus the addition of Adou Thiero in the 2025 NBA Draft, leaves most unsatisfied. This is especially true for negotiations with Doncic when remembering that losing Dorian Finney-Smith should sting on a personal level, due to their friendship.
The Lakers attempt at satisfying both the present timeline in Los Angeles and the future one has been lackluster for the former of those two. Pelinka has yet to maximize the expiring contracts on the roster, and that should be a major reason for concern.
Aug. 2 is the earliest date Doncic can sign an extension with the Lakers. That date is much closer than it may initially appear.
One would imagine before Luka puts pen to paper, there will be at least one more domino to drop with regard to the roster construction. Hopefully, it will be a much more impactful one than simply waiving Milton.