Lakers are learning what Mavericks always knew about Luka Doncic

Having Luka Doncic on your team is an experience in more ways than one. Sometimes, it's positively thrilling and you wonder if this is the best basketball player in the world. And other times, it's downright frustrating and you don't understand why this guy is such a conundrum. Dallas Mavericks fans are now seeing Lakers fans go through this same roller coaster of emotions they used to this season.

Fans in Los Angeles are quickly coming to the realization that Doncic has his moments of being a liability on defense, and an overall aggravating player to watch. He'll hit a deep three-pointer in a defender's face, but then he'll give up two straight layups without giving much effort, and be arguing with an official instead of hustling back into a play.

This is exactly the experience Mavs fans got when number 77 played in Dallas. And while it seems like the majority of the fanbase misses him and even wants him to come back, it's easy to see that the worst parts of his game have not gone away since he became a Laker.

Luka Doncic's deficiencies are on full display in Los Angeles

What Dallas learned over time is that living with Luka requires constant tradeoffs. The Mavericks spent years adjusting their roster to accommodate him while trying to survive the possessions where his effort dropped off. It was never about Doncic's talent, it was always about how sustainable his playstyle was. When the stakes were raised in the playoffs, Luka was a prime performer offensively, but his mistakes were also amplified.

It makes sense why this Mavs roster looks so different now than it did this time last year. The Mavericks have leaned harder into structure and collective defensive responsibility. The offense may not always reach the same individual heights, but the team has moments of looking more fluid without Luka at the center of it all. Over time, it's possible this era of hoops in Dallas will be a more efficient and sustainable product than it was before.

And that's also why Mavs fans can empathize with what Lakers fans are experiencing right now. The frustration doesn't erase the greatness. Luka will always be capable of those crazy kind of moments that flip games on their head, but those moments come with stretches that test the patience of fans, especially for a fanbase like the Lakers' that's accustomed to their franchise players being two-way stars.

Dallas already lived that reality. They celebrated the highs and defended the lows, and now with Luka gone, it's easier to admit that his deficiencies can be limiting. Watching Los Angeles reach that same understanding is not surprising, it's simply the next stop on a journey fans in Dallas know all too well.