Dallas Mavericks: MVP votes are in the near future for Luka Doncic

A lot can change in a year. Growth, maturation, and added support can help turn things around for anyone. Is it too far-fetched to envision Dallas Mavericks rookie sensation Luka Doncic turning an All-Star snub one year into an MVP-caliber season the next? Maybe not.

Easy there. This is not an attempt at a terrible hot take. No one is saying Luka Doncic will indeed win league MVP honors–becoming the first Dallas Mavericks player to do so since Dirk Nowitzki in 2007–in the summer of 2020. However, based on his current trajectory, skill set and likely running mate for next season, finishing top-10 in MVP voting isn’t as blasphemous as it may seem for some.

The 19-year-old phenom is already taking the NBA by storm, breaking down defenders and records on a nightly basis. If he’s going to ascend to an echelon worthy of consideration, a few things need to work in his favor.

Stats

Looking at the most recent MVP winners, it’s easy to see that stats do matter. Steph Curry set the NBA on fire, setting the record for most three-point field goals in a season, en route to becoming the first ever unanimous MVP. Russell Westbrook followed that up by averaging a triple-double for the entire season. Be honest, those accomplishments are pretty impressive and extremely hard to come by.

How will the 6-foot-7 point guard measure up to those amazing feats? Judging by his game highs thus far (35 points, 12 rebounds, 12 assists, 4 steals, 2 blocks, 7 threes), we can see what he is capable of producing. As good as his current averages are (20.8 points, 7.1 rebounds, 5.5 assists), there is still room for improvement.

When Dallas traded for a top-20 player in Kristaps Porzingis, not only did the future of the franchise improve, but so did the chances of its star hoisting the Maurice Podoloff trophy one day. Adding a star with Porzingis’ shooting ability helps increase assist numbers for Doncic, as well as open up more open shots off double-teams.  With a full season under his belt, getting foul calls should come easier as well, bringing averages in the ballpark of 28 points, 8 rebounds and 8 assists well within reach.

Team Record/Success

How else do we measure a player’s value, other than by the impact he has on his team’s winning? After all, gaudy stats look great, but mean absolutely nothing if your team is headed to the lottery, or can’t make the playoffs.

As for the Slovenian floor general, his impact is already evident. He led Dallas to a 15-11 record, good enough for no. 7, through the team’s first 26 games. That is the best start through 25 games the team has had since the 2015-16 season. That may not seem like much until you realize the team won a total of 24 games last season.

Fast forward to February, and the Mavs are heading into All-Star weekend with a 26-31 record and a shot at moving back into a top-8 seed in a cramped Western Conference. Not ideal, but a year ago, playoffs were not even in consideration.

Popularity

Let’s be honest, popularity plays a huge role in MVP voting, whether you agree with the practice or not. You’d have to go all the way back to Tim Duncan‘s back-to-back (’01-’02, ’02-’03) MVP campaigns to find a winner that wasn’t the most popular or biggest story around the league that season.

Come on, that’s the easiest box to check off for Doncic. Whether you love him or root for Trae Young, there’s no denying the media circus he has caused since entering the league. Fans and opposing players alike often find themselves in awe of what the generational talent can do on the court.

By all means, feel free to make your own predictions. All in all, there’s so much to be excited about as Dallas Mavericks fans. We have a bona-fide star to lead us into a new era, and he’ll only get better. As always, go Mavs!