Luka Doncic Reveals Stance on His Long-Term Dallas Mavs Future
DALLAS — After failing to qualify for the play-in tournament with a 38-44 record last season, the Dallas Mavericks are off to a strong start in their 2023-24 campaign. With a 15-8 record, the Mavs rank third in the Western Conference standings entering Thursday's matchup against the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Following the disappointing end to last season, the Mavs front office went to work to improve the supporting cast around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. It started with adding Dereck Lively II and Olivier-Maxence Prosper in the NBA Draft lottery, followed by free agency additions of Grant Williams, Dante Exum, and Derrick Jones Jr.
On Mavs Media Day, NBA reporter Rachel Nichols spoke with Doncic in a 1-on-1 interview for "Headliners with Rachel Nichols" on Showtime and Paramount+ about his future with the organization. He asked if he'd ever consider requesting a trade from the Mavs if he didn't feel there was a strong outlook to win a title.
"I'm not sure," Doncic said. "I feel great here. They drafted me. I felt at home since Day 1, so I'm really happy where I'm at, and I think we made some great moves this offseason. But, yeah, I'm happy here."
Doncic's confidence in the Mavs' offseason additions has paid off tremendously. Whether it's rookie center Lively doing the dirty work inside the paint, Exum emerging as a reliable complementary perimeter talent, or the boost provided by options like Williams or Jones on the wing, the team is better.
Dallas Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic during the 2023-24 NBA season.
Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
The Mavs have emphasized adding young talent to develop over the near future beyond just Lively. Dallas added Jaden Hardy in the second round of the 2022 NBA Draft, remaining an ongoing prospect to develop. Prosper has the physical tools to be a helpful piece on the wing as he refines his game, too.
The Slovenian superstar has averaged 32.0 points, 8.9 assists, and 8.2 rebounds in 22 games this season. He's producing those historic numbers while shooting 48.2 percent from the floor, 38.4 percent from the perimeter, and 78.5 percent on free throws.
