For the past few years, people have speculated whether Luka Doncic will end his career with the Dallas Mavericks.
He could follow in Dirk Nowitzki’s footsteps and become a franchise legend by choosing to play his entire career, yet some still think he’s not cut from the same cloth.
Nowitzki played in a different era, and players nowadays often take a more selfish approach, which is perfectly fine and valid.
However, this leaves teams like the Mavericks often trying to persuade their stars to stay, which gives them little-to-no leverage in negotiations.
Notably, ESPN analyst Tim Bontemps believes that Mark Cuban and the Mavs have already reached that point with Luca.
According to Bontemps, it will take him a long time to convince Doncic that he can compete at the highest level after the Kyrie Irving fiasco, especially considering how unhappy he has been since Uncle Drew arrived in Texas.
,[The Mavs] Put yourself in a really, really tough spot. … It’s going to be a long, hard road for Dallas to do enough to keep Luka Doncic happy in Dallas and frankly, I think it’s going to be really hard to do.”
,@TimBontemps pic.twitter.com/RYnIGX3OQa
– Get Up (@GetUpESPN) April 7, 2023
Of course, it would be wrong and unfair to blame Kyrie for the team’s shortcomings.
He’s put up solid numbers, and he can’t be blamed for failing to add defenders all around the team.
But Doncic has publicly acknowledged that he’s not having fun anymore, and he’s got a history of temper tantrums.
Doncic has often given up his competitiveness, as is the case with most young players when they first enter the league.
Now, the Mavs need to make sure that competitive spirit doesn’t get in the way of their future together, as they can’t afford to lose such a once-in-a-lifetime talent.
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