Lakers' Doncic hit with $50K punishment after incident with official

Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic. Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Lakers' Luka Doncic hit with $50K punishment after incident with official

By Yagya Bhargava | Last updated Mar 10, 2026 2:27 PM ET

The Los Angeles Lakers picked up a 110-97 win over the New York Knicks on Sunday, doing it without LeBron James after he was scratched shortly before tip-off. James sat out with a left elbow contusion and arthritis in his left foot.

Los Angeles clamped down on the Knicks, who brought the NBA's third-ranked offense into the game. The Lakers held New York to 43 percent shooting while forcing 18 turnovers and keeping it 20 points under its season scoring average.

Luka Doncic and Austin Reaves stepped up offensively to carry the load, and the Lakers walked away with a solid victory on their home floor. But after the final buzzer, a different story emerged from Sunday's game.

Luka Doncic disciplined after gesture toward referee

According to NBA Communications, Doncic was fined $50,000 for directing an inappropriate and unprofessional gesture toward a game official. The incident happened with 4:35 remaining in the third quarter.

The following has been released by the NBA. pic.twitter.com/BXWWe85La9
— NBA Communications (@NBAPR) March 10, 2026

Reason behind Luka Doncic's fine

The gesture came late in the third with Los Angeles holding an 11-point advantage. Doncic lost possession, and Knicks guard Landry Shamet scooped it up.

New York moved the ball quickly, with Shamet finding Mohamed Diawara on the break. Doncic tried to step in and take a charge, but Diawara swung the ball to Josh Hart, who finished at the rim.

Doncic ended up on the floor after the unsuccessful charge attempt, and right after Hart's layup, he turned toward a referee and rubbed his fingers together in what appeared to be a money gesture.

Did Luka Doncic just signal what I think he signaled with his hands? pic.twitter.com/FKGgJpj5kd
— Tomer Azarly (@TomerAzarly) March 8, 2026

The $50,000 hit likely will not bother Doncic too much, given how the night went. He dropped 35 points on 11-of-25 shooting in the win. Doncic has been carrying this Lakers squad all season, putting up 32.5 points, 8.4 assists and 7.8 rebounds per game through 52 appearances.

Yagya Bhargava

Yagya Bhargava began his professional journey as a chef, but his passion for sports eventually led him into sports journalism. He started writing in 2022 and has since published more than 5,000 articles covering the NFL and NBA. Along the way, he’s worked with outlets like The Cold Wire, Sportskeeda, The SportsRush, and The Big Lead

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