NBA slaps Lakers' Luka Doncic with $50K fine after gesture toward official vs. Knicks

The Los Angeles Lakers are excited about the future with Luka Doncic as the face of the franchise. Just over a year ago, this would have seemed unlikely. Now, the Lakers are building around Doncic to reach their next NBA Finals appearance, and the superstar wants the team to act quickly.

“Dončić being just 26 gives the Lakers a far longer timeline to build a championship-contending team, but that doesn't mean they can slow down and take their time. Dončić told Lakers president Rob Pelinka and coach JJ Redick in May that he's not interested in taking the slow approach in building a contender,” CBS Sports’ Jasmyn Wimbish wrote.

Doncic recently picked up his 15th technical of the season. One more and he faces a suspension. The superstar has been having trouble with officials as of late.

“Just because I yelled at him I guess. That's what he said. But I heard three other players say the exact same sentence and didn't get a tech. And that's my problem. I was trying not to talk at all. This is the first thing I said, no warning or nothing,” Doncic said.

The Lakers got a big win on Sunday evening, and Doncic escaped without receiving a tech. However, on Tuesday, he was fined for a gesture toward an official.

“March 10, 2026 - Los Angeles Lakers forward-guard Luka Donié has been fined $50,000 for directing an inappropriate and unprofessional gesture toward a game official, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations. The incident occurred with 4:35 remaining in the third quarter of the Lakers' 110-97 victory over the New York Knicks on March 8 at Crypto.com Arena,” the NBA announced.

Doncic’s issues with officials have been recurring, and they will continue if he doesn’t adjust his behavior. While he is a phenomenal player, a portion of each game is spent arguing with referees.

Perhaps this latest fine will serve as a wake-up call for Doncic and curb his antics. If not, the next fine will be even larger, and any additional technical fouls could prove costly for the team.