Stephen A. Smith Slams Idea of Nuggets Pairing Nikola Jokic with Mavs' Luka Doncic
The relationship Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic and two-time MVP Nikola Jokic share has become an annual focus of NBA All-Star Weekend. Some have questioned if the two superstars will eventually join forces beyond just playing alongside each other as Western Conference All-Stars.
When discussing the possibility of Jokic teaming up with Doncic, Stephen A. Smith questioned on his show why Jokic would need to play next to Doncic and sees Jokic's duo with Jamal Murray and the current version of the Denver Nuggets as "special" and not needing to be changed.
"He's the reigning defending NBA champion. When he and Jamal Murray were in the lineup together this year, they were 28-11. When they're not in the lineup together, they're 8-18," Smith said. "They're the reigning defending NBA champions. When they were struggling years ago, Jamal Murray had his injury, and he was compromised for two full seasons. And as a result, Denver was compromised as well because, without him, Jokic just ain't the same. When I look at Jamal Murray and Jokic, I tell myself they are spectacular. They are special together."
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There are stylistic considerations Smith views as being important to factor into the possibility of Jokic and Doncic playing together. Firstly, Smith says while the two talents would be phenomenal in certain respects, one potential limitation is that Doncic holds onto the ball a bit too much compared to Murray.
"Jokic with Luka would be phenomenal in certain respects, but remember, Luka needs the ball, and Luka holds on to the ball a bit too much," Smith said. "With Murray, he passes it or shoots it, and his decisions are relatively quick. That's not Luka's game. So I would say that you be careful what you wish for because when you look at Denver, they're already winning without Luka."
The probable financial and trade mechanics required for Doncic to team up with Jokic are very complicated. Still, NBA superstars have shown a willingness to sacrifice in order to team up with each other in the past. Regardless, the Mavs must continue to take measures to maximize the roster around Doncic.
