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
Basketball Reference: Luka's PER is historically elite for his age. Top 15 all-time pace.