Luka Doncic Praised As NBA 'Recruiting' Tool By Mavs GM Donnie
Young superstar Luka Doncic is, in the eyes of Dallas Mavericks GM Donnie Nelson, about to be an NBA talent magnet.
"In terms of free agency,'' Donnie says, "who doesn’t want to play with a Jason Kidd? Who doesn’t want to play with a Steve Nash? ... To have (combination of) two of the greats who (played) right here in Dallas, it’s going to make our recruiting efforts a lot smoother.”
Nelson's suggestion that Luka, 22, is part Kidd and part Nash - two former Mavs who are now in the Hall of Fame - is inarguable. What needs to be proven, starting this summer, when NBA free-agency shopping begins and Dallas has both cap room and Luka as Chief Recruiter ...
Will what once were "pipe dreams'' suddenly become reality?
Long-time MFFLs always hoped that the iconic Dirk Nowitzki would draw other players to Dallas. That, however, never quite happened in terms of superstar signings. Dirk, by virtue of his personality, was never quite comfortable with the idea of being Chief Recruiter. And Donnie adds another reason why the Mavs' set-up is now different.
“Man, it’s completely different,” Nelson says. “One guy is an open shot waiting to happen (for teammates), and the other guy was a shot-taker and a shot-maker.''
Dirk is the latter "guy.'' Luka is the former.
Nelson, who has known Doncic and his family for years, pre-dating his arrival to Dallas, has often said about Luka what he said a few days ago. The latest version of his view of the Slovenian superstar:
“It’s ironic that two of the greats (Kidd and Nash played in Dallas) When I saw Luka play for the first time, I’m like, ‘Man, that’s a 6-foot-7 Steve Nash that can shoot it and this and that and the other thing, but he rebounds like Jason Kidd.''
Luka can shoot it. And pass it. And rebound it.
Can he recruit it?
"I think in terms of recruiting,'' Donnie says, projecting positively, "it’s much better to have a ‘true quarterback’ that has the abilities that (Luka) has.''
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