Luka Dealt to Lakers: Nico Harrison is a Basketball Terrorist

[DanSchwartzgan]

If Luka got his 35% max cap deal in the summer, he’d have started 2026 on his new deal. That would’ve put him at an estimated starting salary of 55 mil and a total contract of around 315 million for 5 years. 

 

This trade was never about avoiding the tax or anything. It was solely because they did not like Luka.

One of the underreported aspects of this from LA's perspective is they don't really have a financial advantage over anyone now that the Super Max is off the table.  Luka won't sign a five year extension.  He'll sign for long enough to get to 10 years of service with a PO after that.  So, the PO year plus two gets him to 10 and he'll take another year after that for protection purposes only.

So, LA's ability to go five years with larger raises is meaningless.  I'm not saying Luka isn't likely to stay with LA.  But, it isn't guaranteed and they have almost no advantage over other teams.  That is why they were able to remove the 2031 pick from the deal.