The Dallas Mavericks are currently riding a three-game winning streak, which has helped push their record back over the .500 mark to 13-11. After advancing to the Western Conference Finals last season, this was not the start many people expected the Mavericks to have, especially when you consider the historic start that NBA superstar Luka Doncic had.
Doncic scored 30+ points in the first nine games of the season, becoming the only player to accomplish that feat other than Wilt Chamberlain in NBA history. Dallas went 6-3 during that stretch but followed that stretch up by losing seven out of their next 10 games.
Expecting Doncic to continue playing at that level was an impossible task. Even head coach Jason Kidd said he would be done for before Christmas, which is sort of what happened. Without superhuman efforts from their best player, the Mavericks have struggled to win games.
Could that lead to some major changes down the road? While making an appearance on The Hoops Collective Podcast, Tim McMahon of ESPN shared his opinion on what could happen in the future between Doncic and Dallas. While McMahon isn’t predicting that he will leave, he believes that the Mavericks are going to be in a similar situation to what the Milwaukee Bucks just experienced with Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“I think they have a two-year window. 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 for leave.”
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There were a ton of rumors about Antetokounmpo looking to leave Milwaukee when his contract was up. But, the team went on to win the NBA Championship in 2021, which put all of that speculation to rest as the Greek Freak signed a supermax extension to remain with the franchise.
The Bucks showed Antetokounmpo that they could build a sustained winner around him. Milwaukee is off to another excellent start this season at 18-6 despite Khris Middleton making his debut last week. Can Dallas accomplish the same thing with Doncic? That remains to be seen, but there has been no indication that Doncic is looking to leave the organization.
“I’m also not going to pretend I know his innermost thoughts, but obviously I’m around this team on a regular basis. I know people who do know Luka well. I don’t think Luka will look for reasons to leave. I think he’d be perfectly happy spending his entire career in Dallas. But if he doesn’t have to look for reasons and they’re slamming him in the face, then that’s a problem.
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“He’s also a guy who is a ruthless competitor, which means he loves winning. He’s used to winning. He won championships with Real Madrid. He won a EuroBasket championship with the Slovenian national team. He also detests losing. Like, can’t handle it. Whether it’s cards, ping pong, but especially NBA games.”
The Mavericks certainly experienced some winning last season, but they do not have the look of a team, at least right now, that will be as successful. There are some issues to iron out with the rotation, specifically with the frontcourt, where Christian Wood’s role is undefined.
Upgrading the roster this season, however, will have some hurdles. As McMahon also pointed out, the Mavericks do not own their 2023 first-round pick. That pick is owned by the New York Knicks from the Kristaps Porzingis trade and is top-10 protected.
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Making a trade involving draft capital until that pick conveys is very difficult, leaving Dallas without many routes to upgrade the roster currently.
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