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MIAMI, FLORIDA – MARCH 19: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers looks on from the bench at the end of the third quarter against the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center on March 19, 2026 in Miami, Florida. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images)
Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic was tagged with his 16th technical foul during last night’s victory over the Brooklyn Nets.
Such a number of technical fouls is grounds for suspension. Doncic is at risk of missing Monday night’s game against the Washington Wizards — and possibly much more.
The Lakers star was T’d up with a little five minutes remaining in the third quarter of Friday’s game.
Doncic got into it with Nets forward Ziaire Williams. Both players exchanged physical jabs and, after the officials reviewed the incident, were each assessed technical fouls.
Los Angeles went on to win the game convincingly, but there is some concern for Doncic and the franchise until the NBA makes a final decision on whether Doncic will serve a one-game ban.
Los Angeles Lakers star potentially facing massive financial loss
On a positive note, L.A. likely doesn’t need Doncic to beat the Wizards on Monday. Washington has been one of the worst teams in the Association all year and isn’t playing for anything more than a higher draft pick.
However, Doncic is teetering on some trouble.
If he is suspended for Monday’s contest, Doncic would forfeit 1/145th of his annual salary, according to ESPN’s Dave McMennamin. That is approximately $317,000.
Doncic is no stranger to racking up technical fouls quickly. He is known for playing with an emotional edge, and his fiery spirit is what often helps him erupt in the scoring and assisting department. Fans get a great kick out of watching him exchange verbal snipes with opponents, because it often leads to the Slovenian superstar to pull off something worth remembering.
GettyNEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – NOVEMBER 14: Luka Doncic #77 of the Los Angeles Lakers. (Photo by Sean Gardner/Getty Images)
However, for as many times as Doncic has gotten T’d up, he has never been suspended. He definitely has never lost over $300,000 due to suspension. He’ll surely be hoping his 16th tech gets nixed for the second time in as many weeks.
Could suspension ultimately be good for L.A.?
Not that the Lakers are better without him. That is just silly.
But perhaps serving a one-game suspension and unfortunately losing a significant chunk of his salary would put Doncic on his best behavior moving forward.
After all, Los Angeles really cannot afford to lose Doncic for any game down the stretch of the regular season. Certainly not when the Western Conference race is this tight and the team is just 0.5 games ahead of the Denver Nuggets for the coveted third seed.
The Lakers especially cannot get an emotional Doncic in the playoffs. The last thing they need is Doncic picking up technical fouls quickly and hurting his team’s momentum in the postseason, where every possession feels multiplied by 100.
Head coach JJ Redick said following last night’s game that the team will appeal Doncic’s 16th technical foul. There is hope the 27-year-old Lakers star will avoid suspension and losing a big piece of his salary.
A decision by the NBA should be announced soon.
Adel Ahmad Adel is a writer with over five years of experience covering the NBA. His work has appeared on various media platforms, both national and local. More about Adel Ahmad
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