Dallas Mavericks Improve
For the first time in the last two years, the Dallas Mavericks find themselves to be in a significantly better ranking.
It all starts with rookie Luka Doncic – a EuroLeague MVP and debatably one of the greatest players the EuroLeague has had. He has the potential to be the greatest player from Europe to play professional NBA basketball. The Mavericks have been rebuilding their team for the last two years with pieces like point guard Dennis Smith Jr, center DeAndre Jordan, forward Harrison Barnes, and guard-forward Wesley Matthews. All the Mavericks needed was a transcendent prospect, a player who they could build their entire team around, and a leader who these men can follow into difficult games and come out with a win.
For the Mavericks, Doncic fits the bill. On draft night, the Atlanta Hawks selected Luka Doncic with the third overall pick, and the Dallas Mavericks selected Trae Young with the fifth overall pick. Atlanta and Dallas eventually swapped players, and Atlanta will get next year’s first round pick from Dallas (top five protected).
The trade paid off in the first six games of the Mavericks’ season. Doncic is everything the Mavericks organization want him to be, averaging 18.7 points, 6.2 rebounds and four assists per game.
Not to say that Doncic has it all figured out in the first six games of his professional career because there are times where he has struggled. He scored only ten points in his first game of the season, and he gave over multiple turnovers in the Timberwolves game.
In time, Doncic will grow into the player they desperately need him to be for them. It’s apparent that Doncic is the future of the Mavericks with Dirk Nowitzki heading out the door very soon.
The Dallas Mavericks sit at 2-5 at the moment. However, they still have time to grow into the team that they aspire to be.
I'm a junior at Lakeview Centennial High school and this is my first year on the newspaper and yearbook staff.