Indiana Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle returned to his old city recently in support of one of his players, center Myles Turner. Turner is from the Dallas-Fort Worth area and was hosting his annual free basketball camp for kids.
While he is wholly focused on the Pacers and helping them win as many games as possible, he did take some time out of his day at the camp to talk about his former team, the Dallas Mavericks. Carlisle was the head coach in Dallas for 13 seasons before parting ways and heading back to Indiana in 2021.
In his wide-ranging interview with DallasBasketball.com, Carlisle spoke on numerous topics about his old team. One of the bold comments that he made was about superstar point guard, Luka Doncic.
“I think Luka’s going to be the MVP this year,” Carlisle told us, adding, “I think he and Kyrie (Irving) are going to play great.”
Doncic has some added motivation this offseason after a very disappointing 2022-23 campaign for the Mavericks. After acquiring Kyrie Irving ahead of the trade deadline, the team bottomed out in the remaining weeks of the season.
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Rick Carlisle, Luka Doncic & Dallas Mavericks Updates
While Doncic and Irving did everything they could to keep the team afloat, the goals of management didn’t line up with theirs. Ownership and the front office wanted to ensure the Mavericks had every chance to keep their first-round pick, which was owed to the New York Knicks but top-10 protected.
Dallas tanked near the end of the season, hoping to lose as many games as possible. It worked, as they retained their selection and ended up picking twice in the first round.
Looking to avoid a repeat of last season, Carlisle has said that Doncic is working hard this offseason. Coming into training camp in shape has regularly been a challenge for Doncic, but it is something that he is taking much more seriously this offseason.
“I’m sure he’s doing all the right things for him,” Carlisle said of Doncic. “He’s been on the cusp of being the best player in the world. He’s right there, and I think he’s going to be the MVP this year.”
NBA NEWS & RUMORS: Rick Carlisle, Luka Doncic & Dallas Mavericks Updates
Doncic certainly has the talent to take home the MVP award as he is a perennial favorite every season. Being in shape will help him avoid the slow starts that have sometimes plagued him while also helping the team win more games.
Team success is one of the factors voters look at and if the Mavericks are losing games, Doncic will get overlooked for other players in the voting process.
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