Luka doesn't make those around him better.

[liam]

If Luka and Trae switched places, ATL would be nasty.

G: Dejounte Murray, Patty Mills, Kobe Bufkin
G: Bogdanovic, AJ Griffin
F: Luka Doncic, Seddiq Bey, Wes Matthews
F: Jalen Johnson, DeAndre Hunter
C: Clint Capela, Okongwu

That team would be a title contender in the East.

Very similar to his Dallas team but with a legit defensive PF in Jalen Johnson. Similar to what Luka had with Finney Smith. That is the piece that Dallas lacks most.

Dejounte Murray gives him a big defensive PG. Not the shooter Kyrie is though. Overall much more defensive help with Dejounte & Jalen Johnson.

I think that's a play-in team...

[Atzar]

If Luka and Trae switched places, ATL would be nasty.

G: Dejounte Murray, Patty Mills, Kobe Bufkin
G: Bogdanovic, AJ Griffin
F: Luka Doncic, Seddiq Bey, Wes Matthews
F: Jalen Johnson, DeAndre Hunter
C: Clint Capela, Okongwu

That team would be a title contender in the East.

Very similar to his Dallas team but with a legit defensive PF in Jalen Johnson. Similar to what Luka had with Finney Smith. That is the piece that Dallas lacks most.

Dejounte Murray gives him a big defensive PG. Not the shooter Kyrie is though. Overall much more defensive help with Dejounte & Jalen Johnson.

Defense sucks.  People want to blame Trae for all of Atlanta's defensive woes but they have problems all throughout that lineup on that end of the ball. Murray is no longer an impact defender.  His level of play has cratered on that end since leaving SA.  Luka is somewhat better than his reputation but can be exploited with quickness and will wear down over the course of a game if continuously attacked.  Bogdanovic is a minus who gives terrible defensive effort.  I don't see Jalen Johnson as a defensive positive either based on what I've watched of him, though I concede that advanced stats think I'm wrong on that.  And Capela isn't the kind of big man who can cover for an entire team full of weak spots.  And things aren't getting any better when the bench gets in the game.

I think they're probably a top 4 seed with the way the East is shaking out this season, but I don't see them as a real contender.  Only one way to win.  If they go cold for a series, that's it.  No defense to give them margin for error.  Reliant on Doncic being a superhuman offensive engine every single night in order to beat other good teams. 

[Who]

I also think there's something to be said that Luka couldn't make it work with Porzingis and others like Brunson, DFS, etc.

Finney Smith had the best years of his career next to Luka.

Over his final 3 full years there (as a full time starter), DFS was averaging 10.2ppg 5.2rpg on 47% FG% 39% 3PT% 60% TS%.

In Brooklyn, DFS is shooting closer to 40% FG% 35% 3PT% and 55% TS%. He is averaging 8ppg and 4.7rpg.

[Moranis]

I'd take Atlanta's roster any day of the week over the Mavs roster if you took Luka and Trae off the teams.  Not even close even with the additions of Washington and Gafford

The Best player after Trae and Luka is Kyrie and it isn't close. I think Kyrie is better than Trae.

and the next 5 players after that are all Hawks. And Kyrie misses a third of the games.the Hawks have a significantly better roster than the Mavs

Who are they?

Murray, Capela, Bogdan, Johnson, Hunter.  I think you could even make arguments on Bey and Okongwu. 

Dallas' roster just isn't very good.  Very poor defensively and not a single well-rounded player.  Even a guy like Hardaway who is supposed to be a shooter isn't shooting great (not horrible at 36.5, but he shoots over 8.5 a game, so you need better).  The Mavs roster just isn't good.  Gafford and Washington might actually be their 3rd and 4th best players, which is horrific.  Lively looks like he could be very good down the line, but he is a super young rookie (which is part of the reason they brought Gafford in). 

The Hawks biggest issue is Murray is a terrible fit next to Young.  Murray was the wrong guy for the Hawks to go all in on.  The Hawks needed a guy like Bridges or Brown next to Young, not a lesser version of him.