Luka Doncic Just Left $64 Million On The Table… But, In The Long Run, It’s A Smart And VERY LUCRATIVE Move

ByJoey Heldon August 4, 2025inArticles›Sports News

No NBA player had more of a rollercoaster season than Luka Doncic . The superstar, who’s only 26 and already made five All-NBA First Teams, led the Dallas Mavericks to the NBA Finals in 2024. He was happy in town and beloved by fans. Then, in the middle of the night one Saturday, the Mavericks abruptly traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers. Because sports are both hilarious and cruel, the Mavericks were “rewarded” for this move by winning the top overall pick in this year’s draft, which they used on perhaps another generational talent in Cooper Flagg .

Doncic, meanwhile, had to spend the second half of the season adjusting to his new team. The Lakers earned the No. 3 seed but lost their first-round matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves. All the while, the Mavericks front office seemed to be hellbent on dissing their former star at every turn, indicating his conditioning was a key factor in trading him.

This offseason, Doncic has slimmed down and looks like he’s in terrific shape. The Lakers plan to keep him around for the long haul, and the two sides just agreed to a three-year, $165 million contract extension.

Had the Mavericks never traded him, Doncic could have earned over double that amount. He was eligible for a five-year, $345 million extension in Dallas. Even after the trade, Doncic could have signed for up to four years, and $229 million with the Lakers. But he turned down that extra year and $64 million — and it will likely be a good move .

Luka Doncic Just Left $64 Million On The Table… But, In The Long Run, It's A Smart And VERY LUCRATIVE Move - 1

Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images

The new deal, which officially kicks off after this upcoming season, also includes a player option for the 2028-29 season. Doncic will be eligible to sign another deal in 2027 worth up to $323 million over four years .

However, if he waits until the 2028 season and declines his option, he’ll have served ten years in the NBA. Assuming the NBA salary cap continues to increase by 10% each season, Doncic, who would be 29 years old, could sign a five-year, $418 million extension with the Lakers.

In that scenario, he’d become the first player to earn $80 million in a single season. Considering load management and rest due to any potential injuries, Doncic would likely make north of $1 million per game . Beyond that, the final year of the deal would have a whopping $95 million salary .

Doncic has expressed his disappointment at being traded from Dallas. He thought he’d spend his entire career there, like Mavs legend Dirk Nowitzki . But inking a max contract and setting himself up for a historic payday is a pretty good consolation prize.

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Anthony Davis Just Signed The Largest NBA Extension Ever, Next Season He’ll Make 70% Of Michael Jordan’s NBA Career Earnings

ByJoey Heldon August 4, 2023inArticles›Sports News

  • Anthony Davis
  • LeBron James
  • Michael Jordan
  • Rich Paul
  • Taylor Swift

Anthony Davis joined the Los Angeles Lakers before the start of the 2019-20 NBA season, the result of a trade with the New Orleans Pelicans. That season was suspended for more than four months because of the Covid-19 pandemic. When play finally resumed, Davis, LeBron James , and the rest of the Lakers ultimately won the championship.

The Lakers haven’t been back to the NBA Finals since, but after a strong end to this past season, they’re feeling good about their chances. That means signing one of their stars to a massive contract extension.

Davis and the Lakers agreed to a three-year, $186 million deal to keep Davis in L.A. through the 2027-28 season. The team will now pay Davis $270 million over the next five years. Davis will average $62 million per season in the new deal, which is the largest annual contract extension the league has ever seen.

Luka Doncic Just Left $64 Million On The Table… But, In The Long Run, It's A Smart And VERY LUCRATIVE Move - 2

Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Davis became eligible to sign his extension on Friday and didn’t wait long to make it happen. He opted for financial security over the potential to make even more money by taking shorter deals — something his teammate has done with great success .

Despite the franchise’s championship in 2020, things weren’t nearly as rosy the next two years. The Lakers barely made the playoffs as the No. 7 seed in the 2020-21 season, losing in six games in the first round to the Phoenix Suns. The following year was even worse, as the Lakers missed the postseason entirely. Davis sat out more than half of his team’s games due to various injuries, appearing in just 76 of a possible 154 contests.

The deal is also big news for Rich Paul . He represents both Davis and James (who’s signed through next year and then has a player option in 2024-25) and has secured close to $370 million for the two L.A. stars. The NBA has a rule that caps agent fees at 4% for veteran players, so Paul will make about $14.8 million simply from these two contracts alone. His overall client roster is extensive — his players will earn a collective $500 million this upcoming season.

The Lakers are investing in Davis for the long term. Now, his goal is to help the franchise add another championship banner (or several) to its rafters.

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