Callie Caplan of SportsDay reports that 2018/19 NBA Rookie of the Year, Mavericks guard Luka Doncic, is working his tail off this summer to become better conditioned as he becomes a focus night in and night out for Mavs’ opponents during the 2019/20 season.
Per Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle, “it’s just a natural progression that every player needs to have going from Year 1 to Year 2, especially someone like Luka that had such a great first year. People are really going to be coming for him in his second year, and the continued work on body and conditioning and developing his game is going to keep moving him in the direction of becoming a really great player.”
Doncic, who is training in his native Slovenia this summer, has not yet returned to Dallas to join his Mavericks teammates, but Carlisle, assistant coach Jamahl Mosley and teammate Dwight Powell all visited him this offseason and liked what they saw. “I know he’s working his butt off this summer,” Carlisle added. “I know he’s very motivated for this (upcoming) season.”
There’s more news from around the Southwest Division this afternoon:
- Newy Scruggs of NBC5 Dallas-Fort Worth (h/t to SportsDay) suggests that although the $1.5MM first-year salary for rookie Isaiah Roby may seem high, it was not an overpay by the Mavericks because of the lack of guaranteed salary in years three and four. Moreover, at least one source told Scruggs that Roby has Kyle Kuzma-type potential. If so, his contract will be a steal.
- Niele Ivey, the first female assistant coach in Grizzlies history, believes that outside of being a head coach, a move to the NBA was the next step in her professional career, writes David Cobb of The Commercial Appeal. “I was like, ‘you know what? I felt like I’ve worked really hard and I’m at a great point in my career now and — outside of being a head coach — this would be next level for me.'”
- As we noted yesterday, Rockets point guard Russell Westbrook agreed to alter his payout dates when he was traded from Oklahoma City in order to ease the initial/upfront financial burden on Houston ownership.
Rockets should trade Eric Gordan for Marvin Williams. The Hornets do it because they need scorers and I think MJ would like Gordan, rockets get Williams who gives the teams more balance and better spacing form PF. They line up Russ Harden Tucker Williams and Capela. All of a sudden all 5 are decent rebounders, can shoot the ball and can defend well. Obviously off the bench they are about weak but they wait in hope for Iggy, otherwise they sign Thabo Sefolosha and Nick Young and still have Austin Rivers, House Jr, Chandler and Green, plus it’s rookies. They have tons of playoff experience and become an even stronger threat
You high?
Nope
Marvin Williams averages 10.5 PPG and 5.4 RPG while Gordon averages 16.7 PPG and 2.5 RPG plus he is a much better defender than people give him credit for. They will get plenty of rebounding from Capela and Westbrook, and from Chandler when he’s in there. Sefolosha would give them more depth, but both Rivers and House are solid and will get plenty of minutes. They will probably re-sign Terrence Jones too.
Hoping the Mavs can be in the playoff discussion. Not likely this year tho really excited to see this team.