Dallas Mavericks: Luka Doncic signs massive 5-year extension

The Dallas Mavericks achieved one of their primary goals of the offseason by locking up Luka Doncic long-term on Aug. 9. The 22-year-old was first eligible for a contract extension on Aug. 3, but he was leading Slovenia in the Olympic Games. Doncic and his countrymen finished fourth and made an incredible run to the semifinals in Tokyo.

The Mavs were eager to get a deal done. Mark Cuban, Nico Harrison, Jason Kidd, Michael Finley, and Dirk Nowitzki all traveled to Slovenia to present Luka with a five-year max contract worth a massive $207 million. Doncic has a player option for the 2026-2027 season. The two sides wasted no time completing the deal and locking him in long-term. They will hold a press conference on Tuesday to officially announce the deal.

Luka’s performance raised the value of the contract significantly. Here is a look at why it was so much money and how it makes the clock start ticking for the Mavs to build a title contender around their superstar.

Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic signs massive 5-year extension

Doncic qualified for a Rose Rule extension after being named first-team All-NBA in each of the last two seasons. That raises his maximum salary from 25 percent to 30 of the team’s salary cap. It means Luka will make $35.7 million in the 2022-2023 season, according to Bobby Marks. He has a projected $47.1 million player option for the 2026-2027 season, or Doncic can decline and become an unrestricted free agent.

The Mavericks were happy to lock him up, but the clock is officially ticking to build a title contender around the 22-year-old. Doncic can opt-out in 2026 meaning the trade demands would get serious in 2025. The Mavs have four years to get Luka into the title picture.

Dallas took a small step forward this summer, but they will need to land another star to be legitimate title challengers. Putting shooters around Luka will transform Dallas into an elite offense, but it is not enough. Can they acquire another star? It is something to watch moving forward.

The Dallas Mavericks have Luka Doncic locked in long-term. Expect the superstar to take some time to rest after heading to play for his national team almost immediately after the NBA season ended. Doncic will be back in Dallas working on his game soon enough. Expect another step forward from the 22-year-old superstar in the season ahead. Fans won’t want to miss it, so stay tuned.