Mavericks' bold predicted draft plan could land them the next Luka Doncic

With the 2024-25 Dallas Mavericks season concluding, the question now remains as to who can take the reins to begin next season. By one report, Kyrie Irving is set to possibly return to the court from his ACL injury in January of 2026.

With Anthony Davis, this will be a tough test for him to lead the team while Irving is down, of course, with Davis' injury history, this feat will be easier said than done. For the past three seasons, it's been really up to Davis to be the main scorer with LeBron James getting older. Davis accomplished that early in his Los Angeles Lakers tenure by helping bring a championship to Los Angeles in dominant fashion.

Nico Harrison's tenure in Dallas might be saved when Irving returns to the court. Of course, this depends on how Dallas performs before he comes back. Until then, Harrison's philosophy of defense winning championships has no choice but to work out, or the Mavericks organization will look completely incompetent. For Harrison to still look like a relevant GM, he has to make noise in the NBA Draft, and it all starts with the tough task of replacing Luka Doncic as soon as possible.

BYU's Egor Demin is best possible replacement for Luka Doncic

BYU basketball was one of the most fun teams to watch all season long. From their offensive putbacks to their spot-up shooting, they made it to the Sweet 16, where they eventually lost to Alabama. The calm, cool, and collected Egor Demin looked like he didn't feel the pressure of arguably the greatest basketball tournament in the world.

Last month, Demin was projected to be drafted by the Mavericks by CBS Sports' Adam Finkelstein, and Mavs fans have already been speculating about how he would fit in Dallas after his strong performances in March Madness.

Better yet, he was playing as a freshman at 19 years old, coming from Real Madrid. A young sensation from Real Madrid is familiar to Mavs fans as someone who can be the next Doncic. As someone who can handle the ball well, which is exactly what Dallas needs right now, Demin is NBA-ready with his shooting and passing abilities that remind us very much of Doncic. However, this pick does come without a couple of question marks.

At 6-foot-9 and 190 pounds, he obviously has some weight to make up for. He's already passed the test with speed, but as he naturally gets older, he'll be in the weight room a lot more often. Another concern is that Bill Duffy is the agent of Demin and Doncic. With bridges likely already burned between Harrison and Duffy, it might seem like a pipe dream to bring Demin to Dallas.

In the NBA, connections mean everything, and Harrison might've just destroyed any type of connection with Duffy when Harrison traded away Doncic on that wild night in February. Regardless though, if Duffy and Harrison can make amends, Demin would be the perfect fit.

His ability to play both guard positions combined with his unreal playmaking would make him someone who would play right away, and with the Mavs' guard depth at dangerously low levels, Demin would help hold down the fort until Irving returns.