NBA Insider: Mavs Have ‘2-Year Window’ to Build Title Contender Around Doncic
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While the Dallas Mavericks are coming off a Western Conference Finals appearance, Luka Doncic has aspirations of being a champion. He's currently playing out the first season of a five-year, $207 million supermax contract, including a final-year player option. Will the Mavs win a title during the life of that deal? How long of a window do they have?
There's been raised outside noise surrounding Doncic's future with the Mavs. With the free agency departure of Jalen Brunson after his playoff breakout, the need to find a co-star re-emerged just as it was resolved. With Christian Wood playing on an expiring contract and not being utilized as a starter, there remains a lack of an answer for this particular need.
ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on the Hoop Collective podcast that he believes the Mavs have a "two-year window" to convince Doncic they can contend for an NBA championship, similar to what the Milwaukee Bucks had to do with the Jrue Holiday trade to lock in Giannis Antetokounmpo's long-term commitment.
“I think they have a two-year window,” MacMahon. “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.
“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.
“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.”
It's far from the first instance of a national media member recently expressing the possibility of Doncic's departure based on the Mavs' current trajectory. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski recently expressed that Dallas should worry about keeping Doncic.
The Mavs recently have surged using scorching hot perimeter shooting, winning four of their last five games and improving to 13-11. There has been significant ups and downs early this season despite Luka Doncic providing them with MVP level play. It would be an unfavorable outcome for the team's record to prevent him from being the recipient of the league's highest honor this season.
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