Luka Doncic will have to watch the Los Angeles Lakers‘ matchup against the Washington Wizards from the sidelines. The Slovenian star received his 16th technical foul during the win over the Brooklyn Nets and must serve a one-game suspension, per NBA regulations.
“Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic has been suspended one game without pay for receiving his 16th technical foul of the 2025-26 season, it was announced today by James Jones, Executive Vice President, Head of Basketball Operations,” the NBA stated in an official release.
With tonight’s absence, Doncic will miss his 13th game of the season, having previously sat out 12 contests due to injury management. A notable detail of today’s suspension is that it will cost him roughly $264,000 in lost pay, as a player suspended for their 16th technical foul forfeits 1/174 of their annual salary.
Doncic explains his 16th technical foul
During the Lakers‘ 116-99 victory over the Nets, Doncic was involved in a heated exchange with Ziaire Williams after the Brooklyn forward celebrated an offensive foul called against the Lakers star.
The sequence that led to Luka Doncic's 16th technical foul:pic.twitter.com/vkOKgd9JCx
— Underdog NBA (@UnderdogNBA) March 28, 2026
Seconds after Williams’ celebration, Doncic pushed the Nets forward, triggering a confrontation between both players. After a video review, the official assessed double technical fouls, marking Doncic’s 16th of the season and triggering an automatic one-game suspension.
“[Williams] was yelling in my face, three times. I just wanted to get out of there. It’s a double tech, of course. What can I say? I didn’t even talk,” Doncic told reporters following the win. “I just wanted to get out of there. They said I pushed [him], and that my push was exaggerated, which [it] was obviously not. I don’t know what else to tell you”.
The suspension comes at the right time for Doncic
There is no doubt that Doncic is the Lakers’ best player and the undisputed leader of the team. Throughout the season, the Slovenian star has delivered an MVP-caliber performance, averaging a league-leading 33.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and 1.2 steals across 62 games.
However, the Lakers are set to face the Wizards (17-58), a team currently sitting just one win above the Indiana Pacers at the bottom of the standings. This provides a timely opportunity for Doncic to rest during the final stretch of the regular season as the team prepares for the playoffs, where the Lakers are on the verge of officially clinching their postseason spot.
