If you look at the standings, the Dallas Mavericks don’t look like a contender. They are 14-14 on the season, 3-9 on the road, and just 9th in the Western Conference.
The difference between them and other .500 teams, however, is that the Mavs have Luka Doncic. Averaging 33 points, 8.7 assists, and 8.4 rebounds per game on 49.6% shooting, Doncic is clearly among the league’s best players, and his career is one that is sure to be legendary.
ESPN NBA analyst Tim Legler agrees. On First Take Thursday morning, after the Mavs suffered a blowout loss to the Cavaliers, he spoke on Luka and dropped a pretty bold claim about the trajectory of his career.
“I love what the Cavs are doing, I love the additions, this is a really good team. I enjoy watching them, they’re relevant, they’re in the mix. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It’s not a championship team, it’s a good team and they can make some noise in the playoffs. Luka Doncic is special. This roster might not be good enough to contend either and that style of play involves having certain guys around him because of how much he dominates the ball. I get that. But the dude is transcendent. Luka Doncic is going to win multiple MVPs in his career. He’s going to be a guy who gets teams to the Finals. This is the most dominant offensive player in the NBA.”
"Luka Dončić is going to win multiple MVPs in his career. … This is the most DOMINANT offensive player in the NBA."
—@LegsESPN pic.twitter.com/ieNnv7ArPB
— First Take (@FirstTake) December 15, 2022
Luka’s talent is undeniable. For his career, the young stud is averaging 27 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 8 assists per game on 46% shooting. He’s already a 3x All-Star and will likely be a multiple-time MVP before he retires.
Still, the Mavericks cannot win as presently constructed. And, even with Luka, they have no chance of beating the Bucks or Celtics when it matters the most.
Mavericks Are On The Clock To Build A Title-Contending Team
The truth is, Dallas will only go as far as Luka takes them, and he can’t take them all the way on his own. If the team doesn’t get Doncic a reliable co-star soon, he may consider going someplace else entirely.
“I think they have a two-year window,” MacMahon said on the Hoop Collective podcast. “This season and next season going into that [2024] summer. I think they have a two-year window where, you know, like Milwaukee did with Giannis [Antetokounmpo], I think in that window they really need to convince Luka that he has a chance to contend year in and year out right here in Dallas. If they can’t get it done in that two-year window, I’m not going to sit here and tell you that he’s going to force a trade or ask for a trade. I’m just saying at that point if he’s not happy, he has all the leverage in the world if he would be looking to leave.”
If the Mavs aren’t careful, they could end up losing Luka for good. But, for now, they get to enjoy his services for a while longer as they attempt to maximize what he brings to the table.
If the Mavericks can just get one or two more reliable scoring options, it could go a long way toward elevating the ceiling of this Mavs team.
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