Even though it’s never been a secret that the Mavericks had a gem in Luka Doncic, only a few could have predicted he would take them so far early in his career. For many, it would take years before he could make them contenders.
However, an inspired Doncic led Dallas to an unexpected appearance in the 2022 Conference Finals. The Mavs’ hopes wouldn’t last longer, though, as the Warriors outplayed them en route to their sixth trip to the NBA Finals in eight years.
While fans enjoyed that season, the ending was also bittersweet. For many, Dallas could have been more competitive if Doncic had been surrounded by another player of his caliber. But Mark Cuban does not see it that way.
Mark Cuban Doesn’t Think Mavs, Doncic Need Second Star
"When we lost in the Conference Finals, I don't think it was for lack of talent,” Cuban told Taylor Rooks of Bleacher Report. “I think the Warriors deserve a lot of credit because they have played together for so long... the experience of having played together for all those years and been in crunch situations, knowing what to do, we haven't been there yet.
“We hadn't been out of the first round in 10 years and so a lot of it was execution and talking to our guys during the series, that was the thing that kept coming up. So I think for us it's not so much we need that second star or whatever, it's more, let's just get some time and experience in crunch time situations in the playoffs and that will pay off."
It’s a fair point, but the importance of talent cannot be underestimated nowadays. The Mavs may strengthen themselves as they get more experience, but this offseason looked like the right moment to add more firepower to their roster.
