With the Dallas Mavericks in total free-fall, fans and experts find themselves looking back to figure out where it all went wrong. While a number of things can be called to blame, the departure of Jalen Brunson was the first true domino to fall, and letting him go might be the team’s biggest mistake since the ascension of Luka.
Speaking with the media this week, Doncic even admitted that he, and his team, desperately miss what Jalen brought to the table as both a player and locker-room leader.
“A lot,” said Luka on how much the Mavs miss Brunson. “I mean, you know amazing guy, amazing player.”
Reporter: "How much have you guys missed Brunson?"
Luka Doncic: “A lot. I mean, you know amazing guy, amazing player."
(via @KevinGraySports)pic.twitter.com/LqgQQXNUQ9
— NBA Retweet (@RTNBA) April 4, 2023
For reference, Brunson is averaging 24 points, 6.2 assists, and 3.5 rebounds per game for the Knicks this season, who are on track to win 49 games. Meanwhile, for the Mavericks, the addition of Kyrie Irving has not been enough to make them even a play-in team through 79 games.
Of course, it’s not too late for the Mavs to salvage this situation, but the team’s struggles have drawn a lot of questions about Luka and his capabilities as a leader.
Is Luka Doncic Part Of The Problem In Dallas?
As the Mavericks attempt to make a run for the West’s final play-in spot, the pressure will ultimately fall on Luka to lead the charge and get the most out of his teammates.
Sadly, his body language and emotional meltdowns have become an increasing point of concern among critics.
“You talk about a level of demoralization that has kicked in, this is one of the things I was told before Kyrie Irving ever played a game: ‘We’re gonna find out about Luka as a leader.’ And I don’t recall seeing a player that looked in better shape at the beginning of the season than they look during the season,” said Stephen A. Smith. “Luka’s gotten heavier! I haven’t spoken to anybody in Dallas, but there’s something going on. In terms of galvanizing the troops, maximizing potential around him, and leading, he is sorely lacking.”
Obviously, losing Brunson for nothing set the Mavericks back in a significant way, but losing Kyrie for nothing this summer could have even worse results for Mark Cuban’s team.
Luka is the only saving grace in all of this, and he doesn’t even have Brunson to help bail him out of trouble.
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