Luka Dončić Hopes To Retire With The Los Angeles Lakers After Dallas Mavericks Trade
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. — Luka Dončić hopes to finish his career with the Los Angeles Lakers, the former Dallas Mavericks star said in an exclusive interview with Melissa Rohlin of the California Post published Wednesday.
Dončić, 27, did not hesitate when Rohlin brought up retiring as a Laker. The interview ran hours before Los Angeles opened the 2026-27 season at home against the Golden State Warriors.
“Hopefully, yeah,” Dončić told the California Post. “But as you know in this NBA business, you never know what’s going to happen. But I feel like I’ve found something here that’s very comfortable for me. And hopefully [that happens].”
On Aug. 2, 2025, Dončić signed a three-year, $165 million extension with the Lakers. He had held a player option for the 2026-27 season under the contract he signed in Dallas and could have become a free agent this past summer.
Luka Dončić Reflected On His Trade From The Dallas Mavericks
Dallas traded Dončić to Los Angeles on Feb. 2, 2025. He had wanted to spend his entire career with the Mavericks, according to the California Post, and he threw his phone across the room when he learned of the deal.
Mavericks fans protested outside American Airlines Center after the trade. Nine months later, on Nov. 11, 2025, Dallas fired general manager Nico Harrison.
Kobe Bryant spent all 20 of his NBA seasons with the Lakers. On Dec. 29, 2019, Bryant sat courtside at Staples Center with his daughter, Gianna, and talked trash to Dončić in Slovenian during a 108-95 Lakers win over the Mavericks.
“We can say that it was meant to be,” Dončić explained.
Over the summer, Dončić paid for his Lakers teammates to fly to Slovenia, where he hosted a four-day mini camp.
Dončić Won The NBA Scoring Title In 2025-26
Dončić averaged 33.5 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 8.3 assists last season to win the scoring title. His 64 games left him one short of the league’s 65-game threshold for postseason awards, so the NBA had to approve a petition before he could be considered.
Once he was eligible, Dončić finished fourth in MVP voting and landed on the All-NBA first team.
None of the 100 MVP ballots had Dončić in first place.
“It would definitely mean a lot,” Dončić told the California Post. “Obviously a championship, that’s what you play for every game. That’s what you train for everyday. But obviously it would be nice to win the MVP also. Not everybody can say they have an MVP, so obviously that would be nice.”
“But that comes with the team first,” Dončić continued. “If you don’t play good, you’re never going to win championships or MVP. So, we’ve got to play good. I’m very excited to go to war with these people. I think we had a great training camp and we’re ready to go.”
During March, the Lakers went 15-2 while Dončić averaged 37.5 points, 8 rebounds, and 7.4 assists, according to the California Post. That month included a 60-point night in the Lakers’ 134-126 win over the Heat in Miami on March 19.
Los Angeles hosts Golden State at 9 p.m. CT on Wednesday at Crypto.com Arena and plays the Portland Trail Blazers at home on Oct. 27.
