With the way Luka Doncic has risen to NBA superstardom in just his third year in the league, it is clear that the Dallas Mavericks will want to sign him to a supermax contract extension.
The Slovenian national has hinted that he plans on agreeing to that deal.
However, there are reported “concerns” within the organization on whether Doncic would want to stay in Dallas for the long run.
“Dallas Mavericks star Luka Doncic intends to sign a supermax contract extension, multiple league sources tell The Athletic, but poor relationships with key members of the team have some internally concerned about his future with the franchise and if he’ll want to remain,” wrote Tim Cato and Sam Amick of The Athletic.
“Much of the trepidation surrounding Doncic wanting to remain in Dallas long-term stems from the current state of the Mavericks’ front office and its distribution of power. Haralabos Voulgaris, the Mavericks’ director of quantitative research and development, has been the most influential voice in the front office since being hired in 2018, sources tell The Athletic.”
Voulgaris is said to hold a high level of control in the decision-making within the franchise. He also reportedly had a run-in with Doncic in the past season.
“From draft picks to playing style and lineup configurations, Voulgaris has had a significant impact on the Mavericks over the past three seasons,” Cato and Amick continued. “That impact includes a strained relationship with Doncic, which predates an incident in February in which the 22-year-old All-Star snapped back at a Voulgaris courtside reaction, multiple team and league sources said.”
If the Mavericks fail to lock in Doncic to a long-term contract, they would find it extremely hard to find another player of his caliber.
The two-time NBA All-Star is currently averaging 25.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and 7.7 assists per game in his young career.
