Luka Doncic is one of the 20 highest-paid players in the NBA; however, his recent transfer to the Los Angeles Lakers could change that drastically. The unexpected move that shook the league from head to toe will also drastically change the net worth of LeBron James’ new teammate.
The Slovenian-born player entered the NBA as the third pick in the 2018 Draft by the Atlanta Hawks. However, this team immediately traded him to the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavs extended him a four-year, $32 million contract, which they renewed in 2022 with a five-year, $215 million deal.
His earnings as a player, plus some substantial endorsements, put Doncic’s net worth at $75 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. However, the move to the Lakers does not only imply a relocation from Dallas to Los Angeles; it will also have serious consequences for his future NBA contracts.
Will Doncic earn more money with the Lakers?
Various analyses of the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement break down the scenarios that Doncic will face in the coming years. However, all agree that the star guard will earn less with the Lakers than he could have earned had he stayed with the Mavericks.
In principle, the transfer prevents Doncic from being eligible for a supermax extension, since an indispensable requirement for this is to remain with his first team in the league. Such an extension would have entitled him to a five-year contract worth 30% of the salary cap, or $345 million.
However, that does not mean that Doncic will earn little. If he decides to renegotiate his contract this summer, he could opt for a four-year, $228 million extension, which, added to the $43 million remaining on his current deal, would bring the value of his contract to $271 million.
If he decides to wait out his current deal and renegotiate in 2026, however, he could be looking at a four-year contract worth 30% of the salary cap, or $296 million, with 8% annual increases.
Does he have other options?
These scenarios are the closest, but by no means the only ones. Once he completes 10 years in the league in 2028, Doncic will again be eligible for a supermax contract, which would give him a salary worth 35% of the salary cap with 5% annual increases, plus other benefits.
Regardless of which path he chooses, Doncic will remain one of the highest-paid players in the NBA, and his potential endorsements would offset any salary reduction. Time will tell how it will affect the player’s net worth and how solves this problem, which most of us would like to have.