Mavs LISTEN: Nikola Jokic Joins Luka Doncic as Dallas' Next Pipe-Dream?
As the Dallas Mavericks and Denver Nuggets meet for the second time in the early portion of this NBA season, the DallasBasketball.com 'pipe-dream' gears are already starting to turn for ... reigning MVP Nikola Jokic.
Now, before people get too worked up over this, as always, there needs to be some extra emphasis put on the term 'pipe-dream.' DBcom has used it a lot over the course of our 22 years, and we know ...
When your franchise has yet to truly secure a top-tier superstar through either trades or, most-notably, free agency since... well, ever (excluding the draft night trades fro Luka Doncic and Dirk Nowitzki, of course), such an idea of Jokic potentially joining his good buddy Doncic in Dallas should be met with an appropriate amount of caution and skepticism.
Which is why, all along - as well-thought-out as our plans might be - we always label "pipe-dreams'' as such.
However, when looking ahead for the 'next' big opportunity for the Mavs to add a true, consistent co-star who is on the same level as Doncic, we don't think the prospect of Dallas pursuing Jokic, who is currently set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2023 if he doesn't sign a supermax extension, is something that should be looked past.
Jokic appears to be the only superstar-level player in the league right now who we know has a close relationship with not only Doncic, but Mavs' big man Boban Marjanovic as well.
There are, we can argue, two key factors that drive major transactions in the NBA:
1) Money, of course.
And
2) Relationships. Whether it's rubbing shoulders or sitting with each other on bus rides at All-Star weekend, or having dinner together in the Orlando 'Bubble', Doncic appears to have the Jokic "relationship'' part down already. The biggest question is, "Can that relationship can ever get to a point where it could potentially persuade Jokic from accepting a supermax offer from his incumbent team?''
We know, we know ... that's something that only a few NBA stars have done (Kawhi Leonard with San Antonio and Anthony Davis with New Orleans).
Still, we can pipe-dream, can't we?
On this episode of the Mavs Step Back Podcast, hosts Dalton Trigg and Matt Galatzan are joined by Mike Fisher to discuss tonight's matchup between the Mavs and Nuggets, Dallas' tough upcoming stretch of games to finish out the month of November, and a dissection of the Jokic 'pipe-dream' idea.
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