Shaquille O’Neal has been critical of NBA players getting exorbitant contracts in the past. All this started when he openly criticized Rudy Gobert for bagging a $200+ million deal despite not being a promising presence on the court. As per recent reports, there is a high possibility that the Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic could be paid around $80,000,000 per year after his contract expires after the 2025-26 season(Doncic has a player option for the next season). Shaq recently reacted to the news as he reposted the report on his Instagram.
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Shaq does not mince his words when it comes to commenting on player contracts. When Damian Lillard signed a two-year $121.77 million maximum veteran extension with the Portland Trailblazers last year, Shaq immediately reacted to it on the Big Podcast, claiming that the news made him jealous. He also revealed that he believes he could have earned over $400 million in the current market.
Shaquille O’Neal reacts to Luka Doncic’s Rumored $80,000,000 per year contract
This year’s free agency saw some heavy hitting as NBA stars were showered with max contract extensions. Jaylen Brown took the prize with the richest contract in NBA history, a staggering five-year, $304 million contract extension.
On “The Lowe Post” podcast, ESPN Insider Bobby Marks recently discussed supermax candidates with Zach Lowe and mentioned how Luka Doncic is set to be the first NBA Player who can earn $80 million per year in his next contract extension. Being a Luka supporter since his arrival in the NBA, Shaq seemed to be thrilled by the prospect and posted an Instagram story about the news.
Luka Doncic signed a five-year, $215.16 million contract extension in 2021 and will have the option to opt in a $48,967,380 player option in the 2026-27 season. As we enter the 2023-24 season, Stephen Curry is expected to be the highest-paid player in the league, with $52 million earned on the court, followed by Kevin Durant and Nikola Jokic.
There will be arguments and discussions in the NBA market over Luka’s potential extension. However, a player like Luka is arguably the greatest talent in the NBA right now. So, it’s not surprising to see him getting the big bucks, especially provided Mavs owner Mark Cuban’s faith in the franchise star.
Shaq dunks and demands a 10-day $350 million deal!
Shaq and his hilarious takes on contracts might just bring him out of retirement. Seeing all the money thrown at players, Shaq posted a reel on Instagram, playing 2v2 basketball. His teammate threw the ball to Shaq, who was standing under the rim, and the big man did what he’d done his entire career. He exploded to the basket to completed a one-handed jam,
“I jumped a whole 1 inch to dunk, sign me to a ten day 350 million for ten days guaranteed,” Shaq sarcastically said after the dunk. Interestingly, Shaq’s peers had reacted in a similar manner when he had signed his $120 million deal with the Lakers in 1996.
