"Gotta get their s**t together" - NBA GMs don't foresee a Luka Doncic trade
After a promising start for Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks, fresh off a Western Conference finals appearance against the Golden State Warriors, Dallas is back to the drawing board. The Mavs find themselves in a complicated situation with Doncic after a disappointing ending to the regular season.
Dallas (38-44) finished 11th in the Western Conference after acquiring Kyre Irving in early February as the Mavericks fell short of meeting championship aspirations. Rumors regarding a trade involving Doncic have started to circulate around social media as Heavy Sports' Sean Deveny reported that a Western Conference executive said:
"'It is more just wishing than reality,' the Western Conference executive said. 'There is definitely a thought process of this happening eventually, and it being a matter of when and not if. (The Mavericks) have a few more years. and they gotta get their s*** together. That’s the bottom line.'"
The Western Conference executive talked about how the Dallas Mavericks have Luka Doncic secured until 2027 and doesn't see the situation as a big deal until around 2025 and 2026. When it comes to Doncic forcing his way out of Dallas and the possibility of him sitting out for a season, the executive sees that scenario as highly unlikely due to the type of player Luka is.
However, the executive said that the pressure on owner Mark Cuban to provide Doncic with the pieces to help him win is greater than ever as the clock is ticking.
The Dallas Mavericks will also have to figure out how to handle coach Jason Kidd's future and guard Kyrie Irving's contract as he becomes a free agent this summer.
Disaappointing season for Luka Doncic's Mavericks
After being fourth in the Western Conference standings in early February, the Dallas Mavericks traded away their roster depth of Dorian Finney-Smith and Spencer Dinwiddie along with a 2029 first-round pick to the Brooklyn Nets for eight-time All-Star Kyrie Irving.
Since then, Luka Doncic and Irving struggled to find any rhythm, with the team failing to meet expectations. The duo have a record of 5-11 when both are on the court. Without Doncic, the team is 3-1 but they are only 0-2 without Irving as they missed quality depth on the roster.
Dallas was 31-26 on Feb. 10 but went 7-18 the next two months to finish 38-44.