Mavs GAMEDAY Donuts: Top 10 Takes on what the NBA GM's Survey Says About Dallas in 2019-20

DONUT 1: ANNUAL NBA SURVEY

The annual NBA.com GM survey is out and on the verge of the start of the Dallas Mavericks' season - tonight's 7:30 p.m. opener at the AAC against the Washington Wizards is finally here! - it's clear league executives have a high opinion on where the Mavs are going ...

But not necessarily on where the Mavs are now.

DONUT 2: LUKA LOVE

Defending NBA Rookie of the Year Luka Doncic’s name is all over the balloting, and this might be the most impressive result: In the category of "player you'd most like to start a franchise with,'' the GMs voted overwhelmingly for MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo (with 86 percent). But Luka and Anthony Davis, each having received seven percent of the vote.

This is high cotton.

DONUT 3: INTERNATIONAL MEN OF MYSTERY

Luka also earned seven percent of the vote for "best international player.'' Giannis topped the balloting with 79 percent. Denver's Nikola Jokic, who got 14 percent of the vote, was second, with Luka third.

DONUT 4: MOVEMENT TO IMPROVEMENT

The question: "Which team will be most improved?'' The answer? The Lakers got 38 percent of the vote, and no argument there.

Dallas finished second with 21 percent of the votes. No argument there, either.

DONUT 5: CORE VALUES

Dallas received an honorable mention in the “best young core” category. Maybe the Mavs are a player short here, but KP and Luka? That's a young core.

DONUT 6: NO CLICK FOR RICK?

The category of “best coach in the league'' was topped by Pop. And our own Rick Carlisle didn't make the cut. But ...

DONUT 7: ONE CLICK FOR RICK?

Maybe the GMs thought they were overlooking someone in the previous category so they made sure to recognize Carlisle in some way. What way?They voted him first as "the coach who makes the best in-game adjustments,'' Rick capturing 28 percent of the vote.

DONUT 8: JALEN, THE NEXT RICK

"Which active player would make the best head coach someday?'' Jalen Brunson, who entered the NBA last year as a rookie so polished that Carlisle constantly praised him for "being a pro,'' is Dallas' rep on this list.

DONUT 9: NOW THE BAD NEWS

So the Mavs are young and they are promising and they are smart. (Or at least Jalen Brunson is.) But the NBA GMs, while recognizing the upgrade of the roster from previous years (credit Kristaps Porzingis), don't think it's going to add up to being enough in 2019-20.

To wit ...

DONUT 10: TO THE FINALS!

Well, not so fast. "Which team will win the 2020 NBA Finals?'' is the question. The GMs said, the Clippers, Bucks and Lakers are the top dogs.

DONUT 11: OK, TO THE PLAYOFFS!

Well, not so fast again. The GMs were asked to peg their top eight teams in the West. Eight teams received votes; nobody selected Dallas in any way.

Obviously, that doesn't mean the Mavs can't finish in the top eight and make the playoffs. But it does mean the GMs think that won't happen.

DONUT 12: THE FINAL WORD

The question "Which team is the most fun to watch?''' goes beyond basketball judgment (which the GMs obviously possess) and is really about taste. I'm a bit surprised that nine teams got votes here and the Mavericks are not among the nine. And in at least this one category?

The NBA GMs are going to be wrong. The show at the AAC starts tonight ... But of course as has been the case for 21 seasons, the show at DallasBasketball.com goes all day and all night and starts now!

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