Is it still possible to rob? The Lakers will look for another superstar to partner with Doncic, aiming to achieve their goal before 2027.

On August 6th, Beijing time, the well-known American media CBS Sports reported that with Doncic committing to a long-term stay with the Lakers, the task of finding his reliable partner has officially begun. The Lakers will go all out to find a second superstar. Here is CBS's report—

the trade for Doncic was viewed as a monumental heist in NBA history the moment it was completed. A superstar prone to injuries (Davis), a third-year guard with less than 3,000 minutes of career play (Christie), and a first-round draft pick from the team with the second-highest winning percentage in NBA history—these were all the Lakers needed to acquire the then 25-year-old MVP candidate.

Just a year ago, Doncic not only led his team to the Finals but also posted the only season in league history with an average of 33 points, 9 rebounds, and 9 assists. Mavericks fans were outraged by Nico Harrison's foolish decision, and hardly anyone considered how the Lakers managed to pull off this trade at such a reasonable cost. The answer is that, at least on paper, this trade came with certain reasonable risks.

At that time, Doncic had a season and a half left before becoming a free agent, which essentially meant that regardless of which team he was with, there was only half a season left to face a life-or-death choice. Whether Doncic was with the Mavericks, the Lakers, or another team, he had three seemingly reasonable options when the critical moment arrived this summer, two of which would be disadvantageous for his current team.

First, he could clearly state that he did not intend to stay with the team as a free agent in 2026. This would likely involve requesting a trade, which usually comes with specified teams. This, in turn, would lower the potential return. The Lakers are quite familiar with this strategy, as it’s how they acquired Davis. However, having only been with the team for six months, Doncic is unlikely to lose affection for Los Angeles so quickly unless something truly catastrophic happens. Losing in the first round to the Timberwolves doesn’t reach that level.

Second, Doncic could simply inform the Lakers that he hasn't made up his mind yet. Even if he is willing to stay with the Lakers, he might decide to keep the flexibility of exploring the free agent market. Regardless, this would cause panic in Los Angeles. They might hastily trade Doncic to avoid losing him for nothing. More likely, they would go all out to contend for the 2026 championship in a manner that James might prefer. This would mean trading draft picks, offering long-term contracts, and doing things that might come at a great long-term cost to the Lakers. James rarely thinks long-term; he often tries to force the team into such moves.

Doncic just made it to the Finals last year. A player of his caliber might not be patient enough to entertain such thoughts. Even if he doesn’t have this mindset, he has reasons to be reluctant to extend his contract early. After all, he has only been in Los Angeles for six months. He did not choose to join the Lakers, and while the first-round exit wasn't catastrophic, it was also not particularly encouraging. In this context, considering how his tenure in Dallas ended, it’s understandable that Doncic harbors some trust issues. Six months is hardly enough time to build a solid relationship.

Third, there is another seemingly reasonable choice, which is the decision he ultimately made. He signed a 2+1 extension that includes a player option for the 2028-29 season. Well, of course he would do that. When has a player of Doncic's caliber ever left the Lakers? Kobe, Kareem, and Magic Johnson never did. Shaquille O'Neal and Davis were traded at the team's request. Howard left, but that was due to Kobe's Achilles tear, and that season was possibly the most chaotic in the team's history, a situation that is nearly impossible to replicate. You will find that, despite James's many grievances, he still wears the purple and gold jersey.

The situation for the other 29 teams is bound to be different from that of the Lakers. Other teams worry about losing their stars, while the Lakers are strategizing how to poach stars from other teams.

This is what will happen next, and it is the basis for the Lakers' operational strategy this offseason. They are holding back because, with Doncic confirmed to stay, they know they will soon have everything they need to find his partner.

Initially, they might hope that a certain free agent in 2026 could become that partner. Trae Young seems to be the only younger star remaining in 2026. Given that both he and Doncic prefer to handle the ball, they may not be a perfect fit.

Currently, both Jokic and Giannis will become free agents in 2027. This could obviously change. Jokic was eligible to sign an extension this offseason, but he declined.The most obvious explanation is that waiting another year could earn him more money. The implication is that if things go south in Denver, he has good friends waiting for him in Los Angeles.Giannis is not yet eligible for an extension in Milwaukee; he will become eligible next offseason. The Bucks are clearly aware of the trade rumors surrounding him all summer. If he chooses not to extend next offseason, the Bucks will almost have to trade him rather than risk letting him enter the Lakers' salary cap space.

This is the implication of the 2027 plan. They hope to achieve their goal without waiting until 2027. Just as people believe that if Doncic is unhappy in Los Angeles, the Lakers should worry about him requesting a trade, the Lakers are hoping for someone—whether it’s Giannis, Jokic, or someone else we haven’t anticipated—to become unhappy elsewhere. Salary cap space is their bargaining chip, as they say, "Either you give us the star, or we'll go after him ourselves." Ideally, this trade can happen sooner rather than later.

Since the Lakers terminated the trade for Mark Williams, they have been cleverly preparing for all of this. Currently, the Lakers have only one tradable first-round pick, which is for 2031. Next offseason, that number will increase to three. Their 2033 pick will be released according to the seven-year rule. They will also have the ability to offer swap rights for first-round picks in any season except 2027 and 2029. With the salary cap space in 2026, they can directly absorb a marquee player without having to send out salary matching in a trade. This is valuable for stingy owners and management in rebuilding mode.

Can this package of assets win in a fair bidding war? No. Frankly, it wouldn't even work with Reeves added. The Rockets and Spurs have enough assets to outbid any competitor. But hey, the Celtics had the assets to beat the Lakers in the Davis trade, and look what happened.

Almost all of NBA history tells us what will happen next. There will always be someone saying, "I want to play with Doncic for the Lakers," and that person will get their wish. For many teams, this might be an unrealistic fantasy, but as we've discussed, that's often how things work for the Lakers. We still don’t know who that person will be, butthe Lakers will be able to acquire another star-level player at below-market prices because they are the Lakers. They don’t have to worry about Doncic forcing his way out, nor do they have to worry about no one wanting to come play alongside him.

Now that Doncic has confirmed his stay, the Lakers will almost certainly find him a partner, and it will once again be a heist.