Luka trade rumors: What the cap math actually says

Every offseason the Luka rumors surface. Let's break down the financials.

Luka's contract: Supermax, $52.5M AAV through 2028-29. Source: Spotrac.

Trade reality: Any acquiring team needs ~$42M in salary back (125% + $100K rule).

What Dallas would need: 3-4 unprotected firsts + young All-Star + salary filler.

Bottom line: Trading Luka is a last resort. The real question is building around his timeline.

Sources:

• Spotrac — contract details
• CBA FAQ — trade matching rules
• The Athletic — Tim Cato cap analysis