As ridiculous as this statement is going to sound, one of the main reasons that Luka Doncic was traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Los Angeles Lakers was financial concerns. The Mavericks reportedly had reservations about loading up the Brinks truck for the new deal that Doncic would have been due for.
That has to sound ludicrous to most people, considering that the Slovenian superstar is one of the three best basketball players on the planet. However, according to sources like Marc Stein, that was indeed the case.
As put by the NBA insider, the league was stunned by the fact that Dallas felt compelled to let someone like Doncic go. "That's because the leaguewide expectation, since this season began, was that the parties were headed for swift agreement in July on a record-setting contract extension worth nearly $350 million over five years," said Stein.
The NBA insider reaffirmed previous reports that conditioning and commitment to health overll were seen as issues by the Mavericks organization. Stein suggested these issues led to Dallas pulling the plug on the situation sooner than later.
One would imagine the Lakers will have fewer qualms about paying Doncic, once the time comes.
What Luka's next deal could look like
ESPN analyst Bobby Marks did a fantastic job breaking down the several contract options available to the new Lakers superstar. No matter the route taken, Doncic is poised to get paid.
Here are the contract options for Luka.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) February 2, 2025
Despite the super max extension off the table, Doncic should actually make more in the long run.
Important to note that if Doncic does not sign an extension in August, the financial playing field in what the Lakers can offer and a team… pic.twitter.com/wMJRHWY9pH
Considering the trade investment that Rob Pelinka and company put into acquiring the all-around offensive threat, it is safe to assume the Lakers front office would be looking to secure their new superstar's future in Los Angeles as quickly as possible. If that is the case, the upper-middle and upper-right blocks are the ones Lakers fans will want to pay attention to.
If Doncic and the Lakers do not draw up a new extension during the upcoming offseason, the Lakers would still have a financial advantage with the fifth year they can offer on Luka's next contract. Los Angeles should figure to have an upper hand in most circumstances.
Doncic represents the future of the Lakers' organization. The front office should work towards securing that future.