DALLAS – Just to make sure they were going to be able to secure Luka Doncic in this past Thursday’s NBA Draft, the Dallas Mavericks decided to execute a trade.
So while the Phoenix Suns were in the middle of drafting Deandre Ayton with the first overall pick in the draft, the Mavs were busy consummating a trade with the Atlanta Hawks, who had the third pick in the draft. Ultimately, the Sacramento Kings drafted Marvin Bagley III with the second pick and the Hawks drafted Doncic for the Mavs with the third pick.
With the fourth draft pick, the Memphis Grizzlies chose Jaren Jackson Jr. Then with the fifth pick the Mavs drafted Oklahoma point guard Trae Young for the Hawks.
Shortly thereafter, the high-powered trade was announced that the Mavs were sending Young and a protected 2019 first-round draft pick to Atlanta for Doncic.
For the Mavs it was mission accomplished. It also was time to celebrate.
“This deal that we were able to get done, got done during the first pick,” coach Rick Carlisle said. “We’re very fortunate. Luka Doncic was the guy that we targeted to get in this draft if there was any way possible to do it.
“At one point we thought that there might be a slight chance he could fall to us. But then a couple of days ago it was pretty clear that there was no way that that was going to happen. He’s just too good, and so we made this deal — we moved up.”
And when the Doncic deal was sealed, it almost was if happy days immediately began again for the Mavs.
“We got a guy that we think is a franchise foundation piece, and so it’s a really great day for the Mavericks organization,” Carlisle said. “This kid has won everything there is to win in European and international basketball and he’s done it at an age that’s unprecedented.”
Doncic is indeed a rare talent with exceptional skills. The 6-7, 218-pounder won Most Valuable Player honors during this past season in the EuroLeague, and also led Real Madrid to the EuroLeague title last Tuesday when he was named the MVP of the EuroLeague Final 4.
A Slovenia native, Doncic was considered by many to be arguably the best player in that year’s multi-talented deep draft. But since his season overseas didn’t conclude until two days before the NBA Draft, Doncic wasn’t able to come to Dallas and workout for the Mavs prior to the draft.
Then again, Doncic’s resume spoke for itself. Additional workouts weren’t really necessary for the 19-year old kid who the Mavs believe could become a budding NBA superstar.
“We had a chance to have a short Skype interview with him a few days ago,” Carlisle said. “He seems like a humble kid that really loves to play, loves the game and was really anxious at that point to finish up his international play on a high note, which they did, and then move to the next stage of his career, which is the NBA.
“From a skill perspective he’s very polished, he’s very refined for a kid that’s 19. In the interview that we had with him we talked to him a little bit about things that we do from a functional training standpoint for strength and the fact that we’re very proactive about doing things really on a day-to-day basis. And I get the sense that that’s an area where he can really see some gains.”
So what position does the Mavs forsee Doncic playing? Doncic himself said he could play point guard, shooting guard, small forward or power forward.
“He is a playmaker, he’s a basketball player,” Carlisle said. “I’m not sure what position he is. I think his position is on the floor playing and making plays and making people better.
“It’s becoming a reality in this league that if you don’t have the ability to play a couple of positions and guard a couple of positons – and in many cases you’re going to have to guard three or four positions because of all the switching that’s happening now – then you’re going to be up against it a little bit in terms of being able to get on the floor and stay on the floor.”
If Doncic is not playing in the backcourt, the Mavs know they can employ him as sort of a point forward. His versatility will allow them to do that.
“Doncic has terrific size – 6-7, 6-8, whatever it is – he has play-making ability, he can score,” Carlisle said. “He’s a joyful passer is the way I would describe him.
“He plays with a pass-first sort of view of the game, and guys like that are a blast to play with.”
In fact, Doncic is so much of “a blast to play with” that the Mavs knew that they had to do everything possible to secure his services.
Mission accomplished.
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