Despite dominating his third NBA season, Luka Doncic was the seventh-highest paid Maverick and the 148th-highest paid player in the league last year.
But don’t expect the disparity to last much longer.
This offseason, Doncic should be eligible for a rookie max contract extension that’s projected to be worth more than $200 million over five years.
Does he plan to sign the deal this summer?
“Uh, I think you know the answer,” Doncic said Monday afternoon in an exit interview with reporters to wrap the Mavericks’ season.
”I’m not going to lie to you,” he continued after some laughter. “I think you know the answer.”
The Mavericks will want to secure at least a few more seasons with their 22-year-old superstar, too.
The only — temporary — obstacle: The NBA’s rookie max extension criteria require players to have made two All-NBA teams.
Doncic, a first-team All-NBA guard in 2019-20, is a near guarantee to repeat when awards are announced later this summer.
Once official, Doncic will have the opportunity to sign a five-year extension worth 30% of the salary cap in 2022-23. The deal’s current total projection of $201.5 million would make Doncic the first player in NBA history to sign a rookie extension of more than $200 million, according to ESPN.
Doncic made $8.05 million this season in the third year of his rookie deal and will make $10.17 million in 2021-22.
Without an extension, Doncic is set to be a restricted free agent in the 2022 offseason.
Doncic finished his third season averaging 27.7 points, 7.2 rebounds and 8.6 assists per game, while shooting a career-best 47.9% from the field and 35% from three in the regular season.
He powered the Mavericks to a seven-game, first-round playoff loss to the Clippers by averaging 35.7 points and shooting 49% from the field and 40.8% from three, including a career-best-tying 46 points in Game 7.
