Like most teams, the Mavericks entered free agency with a host of concerns, needs and wants. Unlike most teams, they also had a narrow window to upgrade their roster using cap space that would not exist the following year. And, independent of every other franchise in the NBA, on Tuesday Dallas officially inked Luka Donu010diu0107—a 22-year-old who’s already made as many All-NBA first teams as Joel Embiid, Damian Lillard and Paul George combined—to a historic five-year, $207 million supermax extension.
This deal justifies its own parade. It also comes with a profound responsibility: The need to make sure Luka reaches or even exceeds his ceiling can and should put immense pressure on everyone who works for the Mavericks.