Luka Doncic will become the first 70 million man

Luka Doncic is poised to make NBA history by becoming the first player to earn a staggering $70 million in a single season with his next supermax contract extension.

 

The 24-year-old Dallas Mavericks sensation is on track to achieve this milestone, and if he secures a spot on the All-NBA team in the 2023-24 season, he will become eligible for a five-year projected supermax extension worth $318 million. However, he won’t be able to sign the extension in 2024 due to having only six years of service, but he will have met the criteria (earning All-NBA honors in two of the immediately preceding three seasons) and can sign the extension in 2025, with it taking effect for the 2026-27 season.

 

Assuming the salary cap continues to rise as projected, the final year of Doncic’s potential supermax contract extension could reach an astounding $83.6 million.

While several other talented players, including Jamal Murray, De’Aaron Fox, Pascal Siakam, Brandon Ingram, Bam Adebayo, Jaren Jackson Jr., and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, will become eligible for their own NBA supermax extensions next season, none of them are on track to reach the $70 million mark in a single season as quickly as Doncic.

 

Doncic’s impending historic contract with the Mavericks is well-deserved, considering his remarkable achievements in the league. Last season, he became the only player besides LeBron James to amass 9,000 points and 2,500 assists before turning 25. Additionally, his four All-NBA selections before the age of 25 place him in an elite category, alongside legends like Kevin Durant, Tim Duncan, and Max Zaslofsky, who began their professional basketball careers in 1946.

 

Fans can anticipate Doncic and the Mavericks’ 2023-24 NBA season opener on October 25, where they’ll face off against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs. This season is set to be a significant one for Doncic and his historic contract journey.