Rumor: Mavs Fear Doncic Trade Request

[Ed Monix]

Team sources told ESPN’s Tim MacMahon that the Mavericks fear Doncic, who’s expressed his frustration with the team’s stalled progress, could consider asking for a trade as early as the summer of 2024.

Doncic has always been noticeably silent when it came to roster decisions, but MacMahon reports that has changed:

Doncic had grown impatient with the Mavs’ mediocrity early in the season, when he was playing at an MVP-caliber level while carrying a historically heavy workload. For the first time in his career, Doncic enthusiastically engaged in personnel discussions with the front office, as sources told ESPN that he pushed for a major upgrade despite the Mavs’ limited trade assets.

[Ed Monix]

If the Celtics were to trade for Doncic, IMO, it would be structured (something) like this:

Celtics: Doncic

Mavs: Brown, Smart, Celtics 2024 - Round 1 Pick, Celtics 2026 - Round 1 Pick, Celtics 2029 - Round 1 Pick Swap

Celtics: Bertans

Mavs: Williams (S + T)

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Boston Celtics

Depth Chart

PG White, Prichard

SG Doncic, Brogdon

SF Tatum, Gallinari, Hauser

PF Horford, Muscala, Bertans

C  Williams III, Kornet

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Would I trade for Doncic? No I wouldn't.

IMO, Doncic and Tatum would have issues operating in the same offensive zones, not to mention that Dallas has allowed Doncic to become Harden 2.0, in terms of his terrible off-ball movement and lazy defensive intensity.

[tazzmaniac]

If the Celtics were to trade for Doncic, IMO, it would be structured (something) like this:

Celtics: Doncic

Mavs: Brown, Smart, Celtics 2024 - Round 1 Pick, Celtics 2026 - Round 1 Pick, Celtics 2029 - Round 1 Pick Swap

Celtics: Bertans

Mavs: Williams (S + T)

—————————

Boston Celtics

Depth Chart

PG White, Prichard

SG Doncic, Brogdon

SF Tatum, Gallinari, Hauser

PF Horford, Muscala, Bertans

C  Williams III, Kornet

—————————

Would I trade for Doncic? No I wouldn't.

IMO, Doncic and Tatum would have issues operating in the same offensive zones, not to mention that Dallas has allowed Doncic to become Harden 2.0, in terms of his terrible off-ball movement and lazy defensive intensity.

I wouldn't trade for him either.  Tatum and Brown are a better championship caliber combo. 

Doncic is who he is.  Doubt Dallas or any team could have done much to change that.  Just have to bring in the right complementary players which Kyrie is most definitely not. 

[Birdman]

Luka needs better supporting cast around him..doubt a top player would play with him..Tatum & Luka might work but both needs the ball all the time..don’t think the chemistry would work

[gouki88]

I reckon he could absolutely thrive near next to Tatum, White, Al and Timelord. I think that 5 + Brogdon is near unstoppable

[greg683x]

Regardless of how you feel about Lukas defense, if Jaylen let’s it be known he wants out, landing Luka would be a massive win as far as a return goes

[Neurotic Guy]

If I’m Dallas, much rather continue to try to build around Luka than build around JB.  If Luka asks for a trade Dallas should first look to a megastar (Embiid?, Jokic?), a potential megastar (Banchero? Mobley? Ja? Tatum?) or maybe even a short window player (Kawhi?).
 Trade Luka for JB and they move a half-step further away from a title.

[PAOBoston]

Dallas has no one to blame but themselves. They have struck out with all the moves they have tried to help Doncic with. A+ for trying but just the wrong moves (Porzingis, Kyrie, letting Brunson walk and getting nothing).

[footey]

Luka is a ball stopper. His usage rate is ridiculous.  Playing him next to Tatum would be a catastrophe. Tatum would probably demand a trade after one season alongside him.  No thank you.

PS His defense stinks.

[Goldstar88]

Luka is a ball stopper. His usage rate is ridiculous.  Playing him next to Tatum would be a catastrophe. Tatum would probably demand a trade after one season alongside him.  No thank you.

PS His defense stinks.

Completely agree. Fit matters. Defense matters. All set..

[Roy H.]

Hot take:  Luka is becoming Russell Westbrook.

[Phantom255x]

Everyone talks about letting Brunson go, but if you ask me Brunson wasn't going to become the player he is today with the Knicks if he stayed put. I wonder if that also went into the thinking, and maybe Brunson wanted to go elsewhere this whole time. And also, Cuban can make all the excuses after the fact, but it didn't even sound like DAL sounded committed to him or that they appreciated him as much. I'm sure some in the organization did (like Luka), didn't sound like everyone did though. 

[Sophomore]

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Would I trade for Doncic? No I wouldn't.

IMO, Doncic and Tatum would have issues operating in the same offensive zones, not to mention that Dallas has allowed Doncic to become Harden 2.0, in terms of his terrible off-ball movement and lazy defensive intensity.

This. I think somebody could build a contender around him, but it’s going to take some very smart roster construction and him growing up a little.

That said, if i *had* to make a trade, I would send Tatum, not Brown. You can only have one heliocentric player. Then I’d make additional trades to try to surround him with complementary players. That might need a lot of work, since the rest of the team is built for ball movement and five-out play rather than his short post-up game. It’d take an overhaul and honestly, even if you can do it that style of basketball is just less fun to watch. We have a contender now. Would not blow it up.

[footey]

—————————

Would I trade for Doncic? No I wouldn't.

IMO, Doncic and Tatum would have issues operating in the same offensive zones, not to mention that Dallas has allowed Doncic to become Harden 2.0, in terms of his terrible off-ball movement and lazy defensive intensity.

This. I think somebody could build a contender around him, but it’s going to take some very smart roster construction and him growing up a little.

That said, if i *had* to make a trade, I would send Tatum, not Brown. You can only have one heliocentric player. Then I’d make additional trades to try to surround him with complementary players. That might need a lot of work, since the rest of the team is built for ball movement and five-out play rather than his short post-up game. It’d take an overhaul and honestly, even if you can do it that style of basketball is just less fun to watch. We have a contender now. Would not blow it up.

Tatum probably has more trade value than Luka today. But in any event I would not consider doing this either.

[blink]

Luka is a ball stopper. His usage rate is ridiculous.  Playing him next to Tatum would be a catastrophe. Tatum would probably demand a trade after one season alongside him.  No thank you.

PS His defense stinks.

Completely agree. Fit matters. Defense matters. All set..

Count me in that group as well.  Tatum and Doncic seem a bad fit with how much Doncic controls the ball.  So we gut our roster and draft picks for a bad fit?  Our pieces fit pretty well right now.  Chemistry matters