Heading into last season, the Dallas Mavericks were coming off a year in which superstar Luka Doncic and company were able to reach the Western Conference Finals.
Even though the team ultimately fell to the eventual NBA champion Golden State Warriors in that series, Doncic and his squad showed a lot of promise for the future, as many believed it would only be a matter of time before the Mavericks were NBA Finals bound.
Unfortunately, last year the Mavericks took two giant steps back as they failed to make the playoffs, leading to a lot of questions about whether Dallas would be able to hold onto Doncic.
Although the team was able to bring in fellow superstar Kyrie Irving, it remains to be seen whether the new dynamic duo will work, as it didn’t seem to be too successful to finish out the 2022-23 campaign.
Despite all the questions, former Mavericks head coach and current Indiana Pacers leader Rick Carlisle believes that Doncic will be next season’s NBA MVP, according to NBA reporter Grant Afseth via Hoop Central.
Mavs former head coach Rick Carlisle says Luka will win MVP this year, via @GrantAfseth
Agree or disagree? pic.twitter.com/2JUQ25jwsv
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) August 1, 2023
The pressure will be on in Dallas to produce a winner next season, especially after the team signed Irving to a three-year deal this summer, which was a pleasant surprise for the Mavericks after so many rumors linked him to other teams.
As for Doncic winning NBA MVP, it’s not beyond the realm of possibility, but he will be sharing the ball more with Irving still in town, so his chances may have gone down to win the regular-season award.
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Kyrie Irving Makes Clear Statement On Winning With The Mavericks