Shaquille O'Neal Gives Luka Doncic Contract Advice

With a new contract on the horizon, "Big Diesel" gives the Slovenian some sound advice

Dec 23, 2022; Houston, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks guard Luka Doncic (77) greets Shaquille O'Neal after the game against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images / Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Luka Doncic will be eligible for a new contract extension next offseason, which could be worth upwards of $346 million. Assuming he stays at the top of his game through the turn of the decade, he could be making over $100 million per year with the new TV deal coming in and the cap set to skyrocket by 2031. The usual supermax contract includes a player making 35% of the salary cap, and the NBA's cap is projected to be over $300 million by 2032.

With those big numbers in mind, the great monetary mind of Shaquille O'Neal gave Doncic some advice on an episode of "The Pat McAfee Show" this week.

"Luka is about to get $100 million. If I was him," O'Neal started, "I would say, ‘Okay, just pay me $20 million this year and defer that $80 million, just defer it to when I’m done playing.’ Because you know that $80 million is not gonna be $80 million after taxes, just pay me $20 million, and the other $80 million after taxes just put it away. I don’t wanna see it till I’m 35.”

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O'Neal famously blew his first NBA contract in about 30 minutes but has been a tycoon since then, investing in numerous business opportunities and appearing in just about every commercial available to him. While Doncic is more selective with his investments, deferring some of that money may be beneficial.

The Dallas Mavericks will be happy to hand Doncic over $100 million per year in a contract if he stays on his current trajectory. In six seasons, he's made five First-Team All-NBAs and the Conference Finals twice, including an NBA Finals appearance this past season. He should have a few MVP awards and championships in the future if his past is any indication. He's won at every level of basketball and has carried the Mavs through some bad seasons. With Nico Harrison upgrading the roster at every turn, Doncic has the best team he's ever played with, on paper, heading into the 2024-25 season.

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