Luka Doncic & Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Receive All-NBA Honors, Massive Contracts Will Follow

After earning first-team All-NBA honors Wednesday, the Dallas Mavericks’ Luka Doncic and Oklahoma City Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are in line to receive some of the largest contracts in NBA history in the near future. The two young stars excelled in the Western Conference in the 2023-24 season, leading their teams to historic runs.

Many different stories came out of this year’s All-NBA announcement, some more critical than others. On one hand, many fans rejoiced over the return of three-time MVP Nikola Jokic to the first team after he missed out in 2023. On the other hand, many have knocked the league for strictly enforcing its game-limit rule, which forced players to compete for at least 20 minutes in 65 games to be eligible for the honor.

The stories involving Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander, however, are ongoing, as All-NBA honors are merely a chapter in their meteoric rises in the NBA.

Doncic, the Maverick’s 25-year-old point guard, earned his fifth straight first-team designation by a nearly unanimous vote, with all but one of the 99 voters selecting him. He is just the third player, along with Tim Duncan and Kevin Durant, to make the First Team five times before the age of 26.

Beyond his individual achievements this season, which include his first scoring title, Doncic is currently leading the Mavericks in an underdog postseason run to the Western Conference Finals. As the fifth seed in the conference, the team defeated the Clippers and first-seeded Thunder and now hold a 1-0 series lead over the Timberwolves.

Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder may have just lost to the Mavs in the playoffs, but Oklahoma City still exceeded every possible expectation in 2023-24 season. The young team, still in the midst of rebuilding, earned a 57-25 record to lead the Western Conference. Gilgeous-Alexander, also age 25, performed phenomenally, scoring 30.1 points per game over the course of the season.

With Doncic and Gilgeous-Alexander nearing the end of their designated rookie extensions, they’re both likely to earn lucrative deals in the near future. Doncic’s next deal would begin in the 2026-27 season while Gilgeous-Alexander’s would start one year later.

According to ESPN, the Mavericks star is in line to receive a five-year contract for around $346 million. Meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander could sign a four-year deal for $279 million that would culminate in a record-breaking $81 million salary in the 2030-31 season. These two stars have been spotted as the NBA’s new leaders, and in time, they will be paid to reflect that immense value.

Article by Patrick Moquin