Dallas Mavs, Luka Doncic Get Mixed Predictions in NBA GM Survey
Ahead of every season, NBA.com releases their annual NBA GM survey, which contains numerous questions asked to each general manager across the league regarding predictions for the upcoming season and their thoughts on the offseason.
The Dallas Mavericks found themselves scattered all throughout the survey, both in a positive light and a head-scratching manner.
First off, the Mavs were predicted to finish ninth in the Western Conference, which would put them in the Play-In Tournament to fight for a one of the final two playoff spots. The West is simply as stacked as it has ever been, and earning a top-6 spot in the postseason will be no easy task for Dallas.
The league's general managers found that though the Mavs were tied for fifth with the best overall moves during the offseason and tied for third for which team will be most improved in 2023-24, Dallas was also tied for second when it came to which team's success was toughest to predict.
Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving sit on the bench during a timeout against the Sacramento Kings.
Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
Individually, Luka Doncic was highly touted once again in the GM survey, as he received the fourth-most votes on who will win the 2024 NBA MVP. He was also voted fourth in who the GM's would start a franchise with, and second when it came to being the best international player behind Denver Nuggets' Nikola Jokic. Doncic was also voted the second-best point guard, second-best shooting guard, and the third-best small forward in the league, which speaks to his ability to be versatile.
For Mavs newcomer Grant Williams, he was voted to be the second-most underrated acquisition during the offseason, which relates to Dallas charting as having one of the best overall offseason's and being voted one of the most improved teams.
Overall, it's tough to blame the GM's for their wavering feelings towards the Mavericks this season. With how Dallas faltered last season, along with not landing an outright veteran upgrade to man the middle of their defense this offseason, it's easy to be skeptical on their chances to contend, let alone make the playoffs, in a very tough Western Conference.
But, when led by a healthy Doncic and Kyrie Irving with a more thought out group of role players and depth, Dallas should hope to bounce back and prove the pessimistic GM's across the league wrong.
