BOSTON — Luka Dončić, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Anthony Edwards, and Tyrese Haliburton were among the 15 NBA stars to receive all-league honors Wednesday, but theirs came with massive financial bonuses.
First, second, and third All-NBA teams were unveiled prior to Game 1 of the Western Conference finals, and Dončić, who is playing in the series for the Dallas Mavericks, was named to the first team, along with Milwaukee’s Giannis Antetokounmpo, Gilgeous-Alexander of Oklahoma City, reigning NBA MVP and Denver center Nikola Jokić, and Boston’s Jayson Tatum round out the first team.
Named to the All-NBA second team were Minnesota’s Edwards, who is also in the Western finals, the Lakers’ Anthony Davis, Kevin Durant of the Suns, and Kawhi Leonard of the Clippers. The third team is Haliburton of the Pacers, Stephen Curry of the Warriors, LeBron James of the Lakers, and Sacramento’s Domantas Sabonis.
Dončić and Gilgeous-Alexander are set to become massively richer than they already are thanks to something known in league circles as the “Jayson Tatum rule”. Neither player is eligible for a contract extension this summer because of service time, but next year they will be. Each player will have been on All-NBA teams in at least two of the previous three seasons by the time the summer of 2025 arrives, a requirement to qualify for the maximum contract extension allowed by NBA rule.
Dončić’s contract extension would be worth $346 million over five years; Gilgeous-Alexander’s $294 million over the same time span.
In the cases of Haliburton and Edwards, the massive rookie-scale contracts they signed last summer will go up in worth by about $40 million. Both signed five-year, $204 million extensions that were to increase if they were to earn an All-NBA selection, per league rule.
Haliburton played through injuries this season to ensure he played at least 65 regular-season games to be eligible for an All-NBA selection.
“Yeah that’d be cool, not gonna lie,” Haliburton said Wednesday, before all-league selections were announced. The Pacers practiced in Boston before Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals, which is Thursday.
“Obviously, we know the financial benefit for me,” Haliburton said. “And I think it’s just the fruits of my labor. It would be cool to see that appreciation shown in my game.”
This story will be updated.
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(Photo: C. Morgan Engel / Getty Images)
Christine Lake is a sports fanatic who lives and breathes athletics. With an extensive background in sports journalism, he covers everything from major league championships to grassroots sports events. When she’s not on the field or at the stadium, you’ll find Christine coaching youth sports teams.
