Luka Doncic has shown that he’s more than capable of carrying the Dallas Mavericks by himself. Still, general manager Nico Harrison might want to bring him some help this NBA offseason, possibly a piece like Ben Simmons, in the interest of his star’s longevity and the Mavs’ ceiling.

Luka has proven that he’s an offensive engine unto himself, skilled and relentless enough to topple entire playoff teams singlehandedly at times. Still, he has his limits.

As otherworldly as Luka is on offense, he’ll likely never bring a positive impact on basketball’s less glorious side of the game. This is partly due to his lack of athleticism, as well as the burden he carries on offense, but his physical limitations will probably hold him back from ever being elite on that end.

James Harden has shown the world what playing with an absurdly high usage rate over time can do to a person’s body, both in the short term and later down the road. Harden has always been notorious for slowing down in the postseason.

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Some surmise that he’s simply not the type of player that elevates his performance on the biggest stages, but it makes sense that his heavy offensive burden wears him down throughout the season and eventually turns him into a shell of himself once the playoffs roll around.

Also, at just 32-years-old, the Beard has regressed quicker than others players of his age and stature, without any significant injuries that could explain the downturn.

If the Dallas Mavericks want to preserve Luka’s prime for as long as possible while maximizing his title chances, they need to bring him a legitimate costar that can both alleviate his offensive usage and be a transformative defender.

There’s a possible trade out there for Ben Simmons that could do just that for Dallas next season.