Luka Dončić fined $50,000 for inappropriate gesture toward referee
The Lakers guard was sanctioned by the NBA. Luka Dončić was fined for making a money gesture toward an official during Sunday's victory against the Knicks, narrowly avoiding an automatic suspension.
Photo Credit : © Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
The NBA announced Tuesday that Luka Doncic had been fined $50,000 for directing an « inappropriate and unprofessional gesture toward an official » during the Lakers’ 110-97 victory over the New York Knicks on Sunday at Crypto.com Arena.
The incident occurred with 4 minutes and 35 seconds remaining in the third quarter, when Dončić attempted to draw an offensive foul by positioning himself in front of Mohamed Diawara of the Knicks. No foul was called, allowing Diawara to pass to Josh Hart for an easy basket, cutting the deficit to 74-65.
BREAKING: Luka Doncic has been fined $50,000 by the NBA for doing the « money » hand gesture at the referee, insinuating they are paid off, after a no-call.
Thoughts? 🤔💰 pic.twitter.com/C4jngdMoiE
— Courtside Buzz (@CourtsideBuzzX) March 10, 2026
A gesture that could have cost more
While still on the ground after the contact, Dončić looked at referee Tre Maddox and rubbed his fingers with both hands, making the universal money gesture to suggest corruption. This gesture was not penalized on the spot by the officials, but the league decided to take action afterward.
This fine represents approximately 0.109% of Dončić’s annual salary of $46 million. The Slovenian still finished the game with 35 points, eight rebounds and four assists, leading the Lakers to victory.
Dončić’s situation with referees is becoming particularly concerning. With 15 technical fouls to his name this season, he is just one sanction away from an automatic one-game suspension. He currently ranks second in the league for most technical fouls, behind Dillon Brooks and his 16 technical fouls.
This fine brings Dončić’s total financial penalties to $95,000 this season. With 18 games remaining in the regular season and the Lakers well positioned in fifth place in the Western Conference with a 39-25 record, the guard will need to show great restraint to avoid a suspension that could hurt his team’s playoff ambitions.
Dillon Brooks
Follow
Luka Doncic
Follow
Mohamed Diawara
Follow
Los Angeles Lakers
Follow
New York Knicks
Follow
NBA
Follow
With a background in sports management, Nicolas Flamecourt covers NBA news with a particular passion for the North American league, which he has been following for several years. He also covers the NCAA, including news and scouting of future prospects, and regularly conducts interviews with French players as well as players competing in Europe.
Comments (0)