Dallas Mavericks Reportedly Affected Luka Doncic’s Los Angeles Lakers Contract Extension

The Dallas Mavericks reportedly affected Luka Doncic’s recent contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. Doncic, 26, recently signed a three-year, $165 million contract with the Lakers. Doncic’s new contract includes a player option for the 2028 NBA season. Doncic’s new contract also allows him to bypass free agency in 2026.

Doncic appears to show a long-term commitment to the Lakers. However, Doncic will make about $10 million less than Anthony Davis for the time being. Here’s how the Mavericks affected Doncic’s latest contract — and how Doncic could benefit in the long run.

Dallas Mavericks Affect Luka Doncic Contract Extension

The Dallas Mavericks reportedly affected Luka Doncic’s contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers. If Doncic stayed in Dallas, he would’ve been eligible for a five-year, $345 million supermax contract extension. That said, Doncic signed for $180 million less than he would’ve six months ago.

Doncic’s three-year contract extension is somewhat meaningful. Some individuals believe it’s connected to the Mavericks owning the Lakers’ 2029 first-round pick, and Doncic’s current contract would expire in either 2028 or 2029, depending on his player option. If, for some reason, Doncic declines that player option in 2028 and leaves, the 2029 pick could be an intriguing one.

However, the top reason behind a 2+1 deal is for Doncic to re-negotiate his contract and recoup nearly all of the money he lost by the Mavericks trading him when they did. Doncic will be eligible to sign a 5-year, $418 million contract with the Lakers in the 2028 offseason. It could become the first NBA player to make an annual salary of over $80 million if the salary cap jumps as it’s projected to.

Doncic Moves Forward from Dallas to Los Angeles

Luka Doncic’s new contract extension with the Los Angeles Lakers is the latest sign that he has moved forward from Dallas to Los Angeles. The effects of being traded by the Dallas Mavericks “took some time” for Doncic to get over, but he’s ready to go.

The Doncic trade still has a lot of fans stunned, but no one was more stunned than Doncic. It has been well-documented that Doncic had just bought a new house at the time. ESPN’s Dave McMenamin reported Doncic figured he’d retire as a Dallas Maverick after spending his entire NBA career in Dallas, like Dirk Nowitzki did.

Final Thoughts

Luka Doncic surprised the NBA world twice this year. First, the Dallas Mavericks traded Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis. Second, Doncic appeared in Men’s Health magazine with a new body.

NBA legend Ron Harper believes Doncic grew comfortable in Dallas, and as a result, let his conditioning go. Harper, 61, wrote a comment on an X, formerly Twitter, post by Fullcourtpass that read, “You saw Luka body and non workouts in Dallas so you can make your own opinion. He got comfortable in Dallas.”

Harper might be right, as Doncic was spotted drinking beer and smoking hookah on multiple occasions. Doncic currently follows a gluten-free, low-sugar diet, which might’ve been partially inspired by his fiancée, model Anamaria Goltes, after Goltes, 27, posted pictures of healthy food on her Instagram account earlier this year.