Los Angeles Lakers’ Entire Offseason May Be a Long Game Plan to Pair Luka Doncic With Nikola Jokic in 2027

The Los Angeles Lakers are playing the long game. That much seems clear now, even if it didn’t a few weeks ago. In a summer where L.A. was expected to be aggressive, decisive, and potentially transformative, the front office has instead moved with unusual restraint. Why? Because 2027 is the year the Lakers believe their true plan comes to life.

League insiders and cap analysts have pointed to one consistent thread running through the Lakers’ quiet 2025 offseason: financial flexibility. Despite being in a win-now window with LeBron James still producing at an elite level, Los Angeles has opted to preserve its salary cap space for two years down the road. The target? A max-salary free agent. The rumored prize? Nikola Jokic.

According to one Western Conference executive, “Everything they’re doing is to land Jokic.” It sounds bold. Implausible, even. Jokic is under contract with the Denver Nuggets, the reigning Western powerhouse. But a closer look at recent developments reveals something more provocative — and possibly more realistic — than it first appears.

Let’s start with what’s real: Nikola Jokic has declined a contract extension from the Nuggets. The reason given was “flexibility,” but it’s incredibly rare for a franchise cornerstone to turn down long-term security with a team he led to a championship just two years ago. Jokic, known for his grounded, loyal personality and distaste for drama, wouldn’t reject an extension lightly.

Then there’s the subtle but increasingly audible buzz coming out of Denver itself. Nuggets president Josh Kroenke recently acknowledged the possibility — however distant — that Jokic might not end his career in Denver. While the organization has long maintained confidence in its ability to keep the two-time MVP, the tenor of recent comments marks a shift from assurance to realism.

And while no one is saying it out loud, the name “Lakers” keeps floating into the frame.

The key to this theory isn’t just Jokic — it’s Luka Doncic.

The friendship between the Serbian center and the Slovenian maestro is well documented. Jokic has often spoken glowingly about Doncic’s game, and vice versa. The two European superstars share a natural chemistry and have been seen together off the court during offseason events, charity games, and international basketball gatherings. NBA observers have long mused about the possibility of them playing together — and now, whispers about that dream partnership are starting to sound more like prelude than fantasy.

Doncic, now a Laker following the blockbuster 2025 trade with Dallas, is believed to be fully onboard with the team’s longer vision. Though still just 26, Doncic has already shouldered immense responsibility as a franchise player and has expressed interest in playing with other elite talents. With LeBron James entering the twilight of his career, the Lakers’ appeal as a destination remains intact — especially when they can sell stars on legacy, weather, market size, and most importantly, winning.

If Jokic were to leave Denver in 2027, the Lakers would be uniquely positioned to offer him the one thing he’s never truly had: a superstar teammate he naturally vibes with. The pitch writes itself: join Luka, in L.A., to make history.

In this light, the Lakers’ relatively muted 2025 moves — signing veterans like Al Horford on one-year deals, avoiding long-term contracts, and refusing to mortgage draft capital for non-superstars — start to make sense. They are preserving cap space with surgical precision. General manager Rob Pelinka appears to be threading the needle between maintaining a competitive roster now and ensuring financial maneuverability for what’s coming.

Even the team’s choice to retain Austin Reaves and Rui Hachimura on manageable contracts rather than swing big on a third star fits the narrative. It creates a solid supporting cast without compromising flexibility. And if LeBron James decides to retire or take a lesser role before 2027, that opens up even more room for a potential Jokic max slot.

Of course, much has to happen between now and then. Jokic would have to actively decide to leave Denver — a city and franchise he has helped transform. The Nuggets would likely offer everything in their power to keep him, emotionally and financially. But stars leave all the time in this league. And Jokic, who has never seemed particularly attached to the trappings of NBA stardom, might decide that a new challenge — or a more relaxed environment in L.A. with a close friend — is worth pursuing.

There’s also the matter of the Nuggets’ recent postseason letdowns. After their 2023 title, Denver failed to reach the NBA Finals in the next two seasons. The 2024 and 2025 playoff exits were particularly frustrating, marred by injuries, questionable depth, and inconsistent supporting performances. Jokic has said little publicly, but sources close to the situation believe he’s grown weary of carrying so much of the burden.

Meanwhile, the Lakers — once a team in disarray post-Russell Westbrook trade — now appear to be laying strategic groundwork. The chaos that defined earlier years has given way to a clearer path. Luka Doncic, still entering his prime, is the central pillar. Every move around him now feels calibrated to attract one more piece.

Not just any piece. The piece.

It’s also worth noting the broader geopolitical context. The NBA has seen a sharp rise in global influence, especially from Eastern Europe. Jokic and Doncic aren’t just stars — they’re cultural icons in their home countries. Teaming up in a global city like Los Angeles would catapult their reach beyond basketball. From a branding and business standpoint, a European duo dominating Hollywood could be game-changing for both the league and their personal brands.

Skeptics will point out that 2027 is a long way off. Injuries, chemistry, and league dynamics change rapidly. But the Lakers’ front office seems unbothered by the unpredictability. They’ve placed their chips on patience and vision. In an NBA landscape that often prizes immediacy, that in itself is a bold move.

And it may just be the smartest one.

Jokic may never say publicly that he’s thinking about Los Angeles. Neither will Luka — at least not yet. But the signs are there. The contracts, the cap projections, the public comments, the quiet refusals, and the unspoken understanding between two of Europe’s finest. The Lakers are waiting. Planning. Positioning.

And maybe, just maybe, orchestrating the most explosive superstar duo of the next era.

Nikola Jokic in purple and gold alongside Luka Doncic in 2027?

It once seemed unthinkable.

Now, it feels like destiny being quietly drawn — one calculated silence at a time.