While the Dallas Mavericks may have made some moves this past offseason in hopes of getting them back to the NBA Finals, the Mavericks undoubtedly have some of the best chemistry and continuity in the NBA. After going 38-44 in the 2022-23 season, it was clear that Mavericks superstar Luka Doncic wasn’t exhibiting nearly as much joy on the court as he had in previous seasons.
This changed drastically for Doncic after playing a full season together with Kyrie Irving though, as Irving has brought a fun-loving and steady demeanor to the Mavericks’ locker room that has trickled on to the rest of the team. Dallas obviously upgraded their roster handily as well last season, which can’t be neglected as a reason as to why the Mavericks were able to reach the Finals last season.
The Mavericks’ unexpected comeback to the Finals last season after suffering a losing season in 2022-23 was extremely impressive and that can’t be overstated, but even more impressive is the fact that Dallas was able to do this coming off the heels of losing their second best player in Jalen Brunson.
The Mavericks are better off since losing Jalen Brunson two summers ago
When the Dallas Mavericks lost Brunson for virtually nothing two summers ago to the New York Knicks, it seemed like the Steve Nash situation all over again in Dallas. After Brunson’s ascension in the 2022 NBA Playoffs with the Mavericks, he proved that he could be the best player and lead ball handler on a playoff team in the 2022-23 season with the Knicks, and Dallas has long admitted they didn’t anticipate Brunson reaching those heights.
The 2022-23 season was gut-wrenching for Mavericks fans not just because of the fact that Dallas was losing more often than not, but also because of the fact that Brunson had formed into an All-NBA caliber player with the Knicks. Hope was bleak for many Mavericks fans after that season, especially since it seemed that Doncic was truly discontent with the Mavericks organization to a certain extent.
However, Dallas’ trade for Kyrie Irving toward the end of that season has proved to pay extreme dividends for this Mavericks team, even if it didn’t pay off toward the end of the 2022-23 season. Irving has fulfilled the role Brunson would’ve played perfectly, if not better, and Dallas wouldn’t have had the opportunity to select Dereck Lively II in the 2023 NBA Draft if they didn’t fall to 38-44 in the 2022-23 season.
A lot of dominos have fell in place for the Mavericks since Brunson left Dallas two summers ago, as Irving was instrumental in Dallas getting Klay Thompson this offseason, and the Mavericks have built a different persona as an organization after reaching the Finals last season. The Mavericks are geared with the best roster that they’ve had on paper in years heading into next season, as it’s crazy to look in hindsight to two years ago when it seemed the Dallas was potentially doomed for years to come.
The Mavericks still have yet to win a championship in the Luka Doncic era, but this ensuing season is likely the best shot that they will have had yet after reaching the Finals last season, and it’s in no small part due to the operational excellence of Nico Harrison and the Mavericks’ front office as well as Irving’s recruitment abilities.
Be the first to comment