Bulls’ Alex Caruso Reveals Bold Mavs Prediction for Next Season
Although the Dallas Mavericks took a big step forward by bolstering their big-man situation with Christian Wood and JaVale McGee, there are still questions about how the team will replace the some of the secondary playmaking Jalen Brunson provided.
For now, it looks like Spencer Dinwiddie will be joining Luka Doncic in the starting lineup, which might actually be a good thing for everyone involved, given that Dinwiddie is 6-5 with nice length for a guard. However, another playmaker off the bench is a need that must be addressed before the new season begins. Despite the Mavs having yet to address that need, at least one current NBA player believes Dallas will still be a dangerous team in the Western Conference.
"For me, I think even [after] losing Jalen [Brunson], I think it's Dallas," said Chicago Bulls guard Alex Caruso on The Old Man and Three podcast when asked who his NBA Finals sleeper is for the 2022-23 season. His respect for his former Los Angeles Lakers assistant coaches is one big reason for his bold prediction.
"I don't even know if they count as a sleeper pick, but I just know how [Jason] Kidd operates. I know how [Jared Dudley] operates. I know Greg St. Jean is one of the best basketball minds in the game. He doesn't get a lot of attention and recognition because he was behind the bench in L.A. with us, but I know how those guys operate mentally."
Aside from excellent coaching, Caruso also believes that Luka Doncic's continued development is something many people will overlook heading into next season.
"I know the star power Luka [Doncic] has. He's only going to get better. Even this year, I thought [the Mavs] had a chance to get [to the Finals]. ... It might not be a sleeper pick, but I still think at the beginning of next year, nobody's gonna say, 'hey, Dallas is going to be back there.'"
Given that Doncic has made three straight All-NBA First Team appearances, it's easy to forget that he's only 23 years old with his entire career ahead of him. He likely won't hit his true prime form for at least another 2-3 years. If Doncic shows up to training camp in great shape this year, watch out for the Mavs to surprise a lot of people.
You can follow Dalton Trigg on Twitter at @dalton_trigg
Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Mavericks? Click Here.
Follow DallasBasketball.com on Twitter.
Catch up on our latest Mavs Step Back Podcast episodes here:
