Mavericks' dream Luka Doncic replacement officially declares for 2025 NBA Draft

Just before midnight on February 1, it seemed like the world stopped in Dallas, Texas.

Everyone stopped to check their phones, and no matter where you were, word quickly spread that the Dallas Mavericks traded Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers for Anthony Davis. Mavericks fans felt like they were in an unimaginable nightmare, as Nico Harrison's decision to trade the franchise cornerstone ripped DFW's heart out immediately. Fan engagement has been considerably down since the move, and things have not gone according to Harrison's plan since the trade went down.

Dallas has plummeted in the standings, barely holding onto a spot in the Play-In Tournament, and their biggest need heading into the offseason is undoubtedly guard depth. This shouldn't be a shocker to the Mavericks, considering they traded Doncic, who was on track to be an all-time great, and they have to find a way to replace him to get life back into Mavs basketball.

Finding another Doncic may never happen again, as his unique blend of size, skill, and ferociousness are nearly impossible to find when drafting a teenager with your first-round pick, but the Mavs' best shot at putting a dent into everything the team lost with Doncic leaving is clear after a collegiate star declared for the NBA Draft today.

BYU star is ideal fit for Mavericks after declaring for NBA Draft

BYU's Egor Demin officially declared for the NBA Draft during a press conference on Tuesday morning, and now NBA fans across the country whose favorite team needs guard help can begin to speculate what he'd look like on that team. Demin had an outstanding freshman season at BYU, helping lead them to a 24-9 record and a Sweet 16 appearance in the NCAA Tournament, and the next step in his career will be taking his talents to the NBA.

In 33 games (all starts), Demin averaged 10.6 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.5 assists, and 1.2 steals per game while shooting 41.2 percent from the field and 27.3 percent from downtown. Demin emerged as one of the best playmakers in the country as a 6-foot-9 19-year-old, and his NBA potential is off the charts.

Dallas should definitely keep an eye on him as the 2025 NBA Draft approaches, and while there will never be a player who can properly replicate Doncic's impact on and off the floor, Demin will be an intriguing option to consider with Kyrie Irving likely set to miss a decent chunk of next season after tearing his ACL last month. Dallas needs a pass-first point guard badly since most of their guards on the roster now are combo guards forced to be primary creators, and Demin would be someone who could fill in that role valiantly.

The most common similarity when comparing Doncic's game to Demin's is easily their ability to be top-notch playmakers who have great size. Demin's ability to deliver long skip passes, make the right decision out of the pick and roll, and lead the offense as the lead ball handler should have Mavericks fans in awe when considering what his potential in Dallas could look like down the road if they were to select him in the first round. He'd be a great fit next to Dereck Lively II and Daniel Gafford when operating out of the pick and roll, since he's such a gifted lob passer, and it would help the Mavericks get back to their bread and butter of spamming these actions and letting the big men eat.

Outside of Demin's unbelievable passing, he is also a decent finisher around the rim with either hand, and his length allows him to occasionally throw down some nice slams when getting downhill (although he isn't great at beating defenders off the dribble in isolation situations). While his 3-point shooting percentage wasn't great (27.3 percent), he never shies away from letting it fly, as he attempted 4.7 threes per game last season. This is a good sign, as he is willing to shoot when open, and he has good confidence from multiple feet beyond the arc.

Demin's low 3-point percentage on high attempts mirrors Doncic's numbers during his last season with Real Madrid before entering the NBA Draft (28 percent on 4.2 attempts per game), and everyone knows how that story ends. Doncic has developed into one of the deadliest and underrated 3-point shooters in the NBA due to his ability to hit incredibly tough shots off the bounce, and while Demin may never turn into the offensive juggernaut that Doncic is, his footwork when shooting step-back threes along with his confidence shows that he has some off-the-dribble shooting skill that should continue to rise as he develops in the NBA.

While he likely won't be a star right away, as his game is raw, the potential is there, waiting for a bold NBA GM to pounce on it. When speaking with an anonymous Big 12 coach who coached against Demin this past season, he spoke glowingly of him, with his passing being the No. 1 thing that stands out to him. This coach compared Demin to Josh Giddey of the Chicago Bulls, "with a more developed jump shot." While this coach believes Demin will be a combo guard full time, he likes his fit at the one as well.

"His skill set might be better suited to the NBA," an anonymous Big 12 coach told The Smoking Cuban. "NBA spacing and rules will help him greatly, although they tried to run a pro style offense...He may not be as strong, but he can add that. Good court vision and solid IQ."

This coach continued on to talk about how he loves Demin's "own swag and flavor," and that's easily one of the biggest things that made Mavs fans fall in love with Doncic so quickly. Doncic's confidence and killer mentality allowed him to take the league by storm, and Demin is setting himself up to bring a similar vibe to the floor once he's in the association.

As things stand now, the Mavericks would have the No. 13 overall pick, which is right around where Demin is projected to go. With Dallas' desperate need for guard depth and Demin's fit into their offensive scheme, the front office should consider making him a Maverick if he's on the board.