It didn’t take even a day for Luka Doncic to make a decision. He loves the Hollywood lights and inked a three-year $165 million extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. Doncic will spend his prime years with a complete physical transformation with the ultimate goal. He wants to add more banners than the 17 that hang at the Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers are all in on continuing their superstar tradition with The Don.

Speaking about his extension, Doncic didn’t have many doubts. “Being a Laker is an honor, and I wanted to be here,” said the 26-year-old. For weeks leading up to it, it did seem like there would be some drama. However, even Stephen A. Smith wasn’t surprised to see Doncic commit to his future with the franchise.

“Very predictable. Um, wise move by the Los Angeles Lakers. They had no choice. He is the future and a bad year for him. Injured, out of shape. He still averaged 28 and seven,” Smith said about the decision.

Physically, Luka Doncic looks and feels a lot different now. His physical transformation shocked the NBA community. The five-time All-NBA First Team member presumes he will be faster. As for Stephen A. Smith, he is hopeful to see Doncic improve one particular facet of his game, which for long has been laughed at.

“If he gets in shape and shows up on the defensive side of the ball, he’ll be even more prolific. In the end, he’s the future. He doesn’t have a year or two left like LeBron James. He’s got a decade left, if not more. And so, you had to make that investment if you’re the Los Angeles Lakers,” said the ESPN analyston First Take.

While predictable, Smith was a little shocked. “I am shocked that he agreed to just three years. That’s when he was eligible for four years at 229 million,” he noted. But Smith also knows about Bill Duffy’s expertise. His contract runs until his 10 season, when Luka Doncic will be eligible for a lucrative extension to sign for 35% of the salary cap.

It’s the best way to recoup what Doncic lost when the Mavericks traded him. But this extension does much more than that.

LeBron James extends through Luka Doncic?

For far too long, there’s been speculation. After Rich Paul’s statement and the Akron Hammer opting in, it feels as if he is heading for a final year in LA. But Stephen A. Smith sees it a little differently. Although it’s Doncic who is replacing James, the ESPN analyst sees his extension and offseason efforts as a way to persuade the four-time champion.

“Who knows, LeBron James might have more than that because in terms of his conditioning, he’s obviously one of the greatest ever, period. But he takes great care of himself, of course. So, he may be around for a bit longer than two more years if he so chooses,” said Smith.

James wasn’t present when Luka Doncic signed his extension. However, he did hold a video call with his teammate right afterwards to congratulate him. Additionally, while the tension of his future builds, Rob Pelinka spoke about having good relations with his camp.

“All the interactions we’ve had with LeBron and his camp have been positive and supportive. The dialogue with him has been open and constant. The No. 1 thing we have to do (with James’ future) is respect him and his family’s decision. We want to respect his opportunity to come up with his timetable on that. If he had a chance to retire as a Laker, that would be great,” Pelinka noted.

Luka Doncic is looking and feeling better than ever. The Lakers have made some notable changes to their roster to address their woes. If they find success this season, LeBron James could decide to continue with the Lakers. It rides on how this season plays out.