The NBA got one right.
The league officially rescinded Luka Doncic's 16th technical foul, clearing the Lakers superstar to play in Monday's road game against the Detroit Pistons, per ESPN's Shams Charania.
This was the correct decision. Doncic was facing an automatic one-game suspension - the NBA rule kicks in at 16 technical fouls - but the league determined the technical was issued in error. So they wiped it off his record, and the reigning MVP gets to suit up when his team needs him.
Los Angeles is in the thick of a playoff race. Every game matters. Losing Doncic for a technical foul that shouldn't have been called would have been a disaster for the Lakers' postseason hopes.
But here's the bigger question: why does the best player in the league have 15 technical fouls in the first place?
Luka Doncic is a generational talent - a triple-double machine who can take over games in ways few players ever have. But his tendency to argue with officials, to let his emotions get the better of him, is becoming a legitimate concern.
I get it. The game is physical, the competition is fierce, and sometimes the calls don't go your way. But at some point, you have to show the maturity to walk away. One more technical - just one - and Doncic is sitting for a game regardless of the circumstances.
The Lakers can't afford that. Not now. Not when they're fighting for playoff positioning against teams that would love nothing more than to see their best player sidelined.
Credit to the NBA for correcting the error. But Doncic needs to be smarter. He's too important to his team to let officiating disputes take him off the court.
The talent is undeniable. The passion is admirable. But championship teams need their stars available, and right now, is one emotional outburst away from a forced absence.
