Any anxiety about whether Luka Doncic will sign a long-term contract extension with the Lakers this summer may be unfounded.

Marcus Smart, the NBA's defensive player of the year in 2022, says is "means a lot" to be recruited to join Luka Doncic and LeBron James.

On Aug. 2, which is just over a week from now, Luka Doncic will be eligible to sign a long-term contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. While there was previously a bit of anxiety regarding whether he would commit to staying with the team beyond this coming season, there seems to be a new confidence that he will be staying put.