Mavericks exercise 2021-22 option on Luka Doncic

In one of the least surprising roster moves of 2020, the Mavericks have exercised their 2021-22 team option on superstar guard/forward Luka Doncic, reports Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link).

Unlike the veteran team option decisions for ’20-'21 that were due last month, team options on rookie-scale contracts are due one year in advance of them going into effect. Clubs will have to finalize those decisions for ’21-'22 within the next four weeks — Dec. 29 is the deadline.

Of course, in Doncic’s case, the move was a mere formality. The 21-year-old has already emerged as a legitimate MVP candidate after two NBA seasons, having averaged 28.8 PPG, 9.4 RPG, and 8.8 APG in 61 games (33.6 MPG) for the Mavericks in 2019-20.

Doncic had already been slated to make $8.05 million this season. Dallas’ option decision will lock in his $10.17 million salary for ’21-'22. He’ll be eligible for a rookie-scale extension during the 2021 offseason, and it’s a virtual certainty that the Mavs will sign him to a new maximum-salary contract as soon as they can.