Since entering the NBA in 2018, Luka Doncic has quickly proven himself as a rising star, with the potential to become the league’s best player. Winning Rookie of the Year and leading the Dallas Mavericks to their first playoff appearance since their 2011 championship run, Doncic’s trajectory was clear.
Recognizing his talent, Mavericks owner Mark Cuban tried to build a championship-caliber team around the Slovenian sensation. The addition of Kyrie Irving from the Brooklyn Nets was seen as the perfect move to complement Doncic’s game. However, their initial partnership got off to a rocky start, with the team posting a 5-11 record, leaving many Mavs fans questioning if the duo could truly coexist on the court.
Cuban recently opened up on the ‘Roommates Show,’ explaining that the challenges the team faced were largely due to timing. When Irving joined the Mavericks, Doncic was sidelined with an injury, and the season was already on a downward spiral.
“Some of the deals I’ve done that I thought were great deals turned out awful and vice versa,” Cuban said. “With Kyrie, he came in and Luka was hurt, and we went 3-in-1 when Luka was hurt. Then they tried to gel, and they deferred to each other too much, and our season was a lost season.”
Luka Doncic #77 of the Dallas Mavericks is greeted by Kyrie Irving #11 as he walks off the court after being injured during the first half of game three of the Western Conference First Round Playoffs. Sam Hodde/Getty Images
Cuban emphasized that the key to their eventual success was the time spent building chemistry during the offseason. “It was like, okay, let’s just take the summer, and they did. Going into [training] camp, they learned how to play together. [Dallas head coach] J[ason] Kidd is great at dealing with guys with that level of talent, and we were able to put it together.”
The result? Not only did Irving and Doncic figure out how to play off each other, but their synergy elevated the entire team. “Not only did they work and not only did they show that two guards can work together, but they made everybody else better,” Cuban noted. “PJ Washington got better, Daniel Gafford, Dereck Lively got better, they lifted everybody else’s game up and that was a special part of what they did as well.”
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In addition to praising his star backcourt, Cuban also shed light on the Mavericks’ approach to new addition Klay Thompson, contrasting it with how the Golden State Warriors used him. Mavs plan to ease Thompson’s physical burden and let him focus more on what he does best: shooting.
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“Obviously, the big addition was Klay,” Cuban said. “He’s someone you have to face guard because he’s going to make 40% of his shots… At Golden State, he was always on the move. They had that motion offense where he was constantly coming off screens and running. We don’t do that, or not nearly as much. We’ll run some of that action for him, but mostly, he’ll be standing in the corner or on the wings, just catching and shooting from Luka [Doncic] and [Kyrie Irving]. Hopefully, his life is going to be a lot easier.”
