"He's not gonna report to training camp at 260 plus (pounds) for the 3rd straight year" — NBA analyst on Dallas Mavericks' advantage of having Luka Doncic play in FIBA EuroBasket
With Luka Doncic having a busy offseason with the Slovenian men's national basketball team, NBA analyst Tim MacMahon believes this could be a silver lining for the Dallas Mavericks. After committing to suit up for his national team in FIBA EuroBasket 2022, Doncic has looked great in the practice games so far.
As the tournament will be held between September 1 and September 18, Doncic will have very little rest going into training camp. This, according to Tim MacMahon on ESPN's NBA Today, is going to help Doncic and Dallas.
"If you remember, Mark Cuban used to rail against and he used to hate Dirk playing for Germany for years and years and years. They're never going to fight Luka Doncic on playing for Slovenia, and the Mavericks have also realised there is definitely a pretty significant silver lining to him playing in Eurobasket deep into September."
Luka Doncic is without a doubt one of the best players in the league. He has all the tricks in the bag and is an early favorite to win the 2022-23 MVP trophy. Since being drafted in 2018, his game has constantly evolved. However, his physical conditioning coming into the regular season has been questioned at times.
In the past, he has been known to relax during the offseason and not spend time focusing on his conditioning. But this time around, preparing for EuroBasket has meant Doncic has stayed in shape. Tim MacMahon believes this could help him be in better shape going into training camp.
"Leading right into training camp, he's not going to report to training camp at 260+ (pounds) for the third straight year. They (Mavericks) will get in game-shape Luka Doncic at the start of the season and certainly, that can benefit the Mavs," Tim McMahon said.
LUKA DONCIC IS NOT HUMAN 🤯🤯
#MFFL https://t.co/pH6k7meZ9b
The Mavericks' run to the Western Conference Finals last season was absolutely incredible, and Luka Doncic was pivotal in getting them there. The three-time All-Star will look to have a similar impact, if not more, in the upcoming season.
Dallas hasn't made a lot of moves in the offseason, but the few it has made could prove crucial to it's championship hopes. The team lost Jalen Brunson to the New York Knicks in free agency. Brunson was a key part of the Mavericks' postseason run in 2021-22.
They will hope that some of the scoring they will lack following Brunson's departure will be compensated for by Christian Wood. If Luka Doncic can form a great pick-and-roll duo with the former Rockets big man, Dallas will be a side to watch in the West.
Think we’ve hit an all-time record in Luka Doncic offseason workout content … with 3+ months to go. https://t.co/jCEAVoUMLp
Can Luka Doncic win the MVP trophy next season?
Luka Doncic has improved every year since coming into the NBA in 2018. He has consistently racked up great stats and his game has translated well into the postseason, too. Last season, the Slovenian was touted to win the MVP trophy, but he only finished fifth in the race.
Going into the 2022-23 season, Doncic is once again one of the favorites to win the trophy. After suiting up for Slovenia, he will probably start the new season in mid-season form. This will enable him to rub off any potantial rust in his game very quickly.
Luka Doncic with the split, recovery of the loose ball, and wraparound assist. Unreal, but normal for him, sequence https://t.co/UXwZfw1Pi3
Former winners Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo and two-time runner-up Joel Embiid will also be vying for the MVP trophy. These are big names to contend with, but Doncic's game matches well against all of them. If he performs consistently and leads the Mavericks to a high seeding in a tough Western Conference, the Slovenian could well be the first Maverick to become the MVP since Dirk Nowitzki in 2007.