Luka Doncic got some bad news after being traded to the Los Angeles Lakers on Saturday night.
The Slovenian guard is set to leave the Dallas Mavericks in shocking fashion, with the team opting to part ways ahead of the February 6 trade deadline. Doncic departs alongside Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, while the Lakers are sending Anthony Davis, Max Christie, and a 2029 first-round pick the other way.
The Utah Jazz were also involved in the deal. They will receive Jalen Hood-Schifino plus two second-round picks for this year.
Luka is said to have been “stunned” by the trade, which will have him playing elsewhere for the first time since the Atlanta Hawks drafted him and traded him to Dallas in 2018.
Luka Doncic Trade To Affect Superstar’s Pockets
Life will be very different for Luka as a Laker, yet there are bigger implications than meet the eye. Given the development, the guard will no longer be eligible for a super-max extension, having previously been in line for a five-year deal that would have paid him $345 million.
“There are major financial implications for Luka Doncic with this trade. He was in line to receive a five-year $345 million contract this summer,” ESPN’s Bobby Marks pointed out in a tweet. “Doncic is no longer super max eligible.”
While the trade looks like a terrible one for the Mavs, they’re reported to have had concerns over the player’s conditioning issues and having to commit to him long-term.
He will still be eligible for an extension in the summer, and the Lakers will probably sign him to the biggest deal they can, as he’s now set to be the new face of the franchise with the LeBron James era dwindling.
