P.J. Washington

Mavs’ Harrison Talks Offseason, Doncic, Jones, Assistants, More

June 21st, 2024 at 7:20pm CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to reporters on Friday, Mavericks head of basketball operations Nico Harrison said that he doesn’t expect to make any significant changes this offseason to the core of the roster that won the Western Conference this spring.

“I think we have the pieces. I think we just need to get better ourselves,” Harrison said, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required). “Since I’ve been here, our front office staff has looked to make it better and we’ll continue to do that. But the core is intact. If you look at our top seven or eight players that really played. I don’t see anything happening with that.”

There has been speculation that the Mavericks could turn to the trade market in the coming weeks to make one more big move to solidify the team’s place as a legitimate title contender. While Harrison didn’t entirely rule out that possibility, noting that the front office is always open to ideas that would improve the roster, he suggested that they key to getting better is having Dallas’ own players come back “10 to 15% better.” That includes MVP runner-up Luka Doncic.

“We’re not where we’re at without Luka,” Harrison said, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN. “I think that’s important to point out, and we also won’t be able to get where we want to go without the best version of Luka. If you look at a guy who after Game 3 (of the NBA Finals) had the world on his neck — the scrutiny, which was crazy, the amount of scrutiny that he had to face — for him to focus in and do what he did in Game 4, I just think it just shows the character of him. He’s willing to fight through adversity, and I think he’s going to continue to get better.

“He’s 25 years old. I think just going through the Finals, him seeing what he needs to do to be at his best in the Finals after going through a grueling end of the year and then three tough, tough (playoff) matchups, I think you’re going to see the best version of him.”

Here are a few more of Harrison’s most notable comments from Friday’s presser, via Curtis, MacMahon, and Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com:

On his expectation that Doncic will play for Slovenia in its Olympic qualifying tournament next month:

“That’s probably one of his biggest joys. I think as long as he can walk, he’s probably going to go out there and play for them.”

On the Mavericks’ desire to re-sign Derrick Jones despite salary limitations:

“I don’t know how we’re going to do it, but he’s a priority. He’s priority one — 1A and 1B. I think he fits in with our team. He loves it here and we have to figure out obviously the dynamics to get him to stay. But that’s a priority and we’ll do what we have to do to get it done.”

On the importance of the playoff experience that four Mavs’ newcomers got this spring:

“To get to where we were, we relied on four players who had little to no playoff experience. (Dereck) Lively, (Daniel) Gafford, Derrick Jones and P.J. (Washington). Those four players played huge minutes for us and had little to no playoff experience. So how do they come back and incorporate that in their game from the start. I think that’s going to be huge.

“P.J. specifically, I think he can add a few more points a game, taking the ball off the rim, pushing it, posting up smaller players, shooting a little higher percentage from the three-point line, penetrating when they run him off the line. So he can add a few more points. And he’s going to. He’s poised to continue to get better. But the experience all four of those players got in the playoffs is going to carry them into next season.”

On assistant coaches Sean Sweeney and Jared Dudley drawing interest from rival teams:

“We love both of them and we respect them. They’ve been valuable in getting us to where we’re at, but at the same time, it’s about people. Our goal is to develop players and staff. If opportunities present themselves, we’re going to support them. They know how much we want them back, but it’s about growth. You can’t hamstring players or staff from growing. We’re going to support them, but we do want them back. We’re hopeful that they’ll be back.”

Mavs Notes: Doncic, Porzingis, Lively, Dumont, Washington

June 4th, 2024 at 6:20pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Former NBA player Chandler Parsons stated on FanDuel’s Run It Back program that Luka Doncic did not like playing with Kristaps Porzingis when the two were Mavericks teammates from 2019-22.

That’s news to Doncic, who denied there was any friction between him and the current Celtics big man.

“They’re wrong. I’ve talked to Chandler Parsons maybe twice in my life, so I don’t know how he would know this,” he said, per Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News. “Me and KP have a good relationship. I don’t know why people say these things.”

We have more from the Mavericks:

Remember when the league fined the Mavericks $750K for resting players during the second-to-last game last season, when they were still in the play-in hunt? It was worth the fine, ESPN’s Tim MacMahon notes, as they wound up drafting Dereck Lively II in the lottery at No. 12 after trading down. Dallas needed to make swift moves to build around Doncic and Kyrie Irving and the Mavs struck gold in the draft. The tank job was a transparent attempt by the Mavs to hang on to the top-10-protected pick they owed the Knicks as the final payment on the Porzingis blockbuster deal.
Patrick Dumont, the franchise’s majority shareholder, knew the team could be a contender this season. But he had no idea the Mavs would be in the Finals when the purchase from Mark Cuban was approved by the league’s Board of Governors in late December. “No, we were just very happy and honored to be able to be here,” Dumont told Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News. “Like, we had no idea. But we knew this team would compete. And we’re very excited about the work they’ve put it in and the results. It’s phenomenal.”
P.J. Washington and Daniel Gafford went from lottery teams prior to the trade deadline to now playing prominent roles on a Western Conference champion. Washington feels blessed to be in this position, he told Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. “I’m pretty sure he (Gafford) didn’t expect to be here, just like I didn’t,” Washington said. “It’s a lot of emotions coming from Charlotte and not really winning a lot of games to being in the Finals in a matter of months. It’s a quick turnaround and we’re just extremely grateful. We’re not taking anything for granted. As a kid, I never thought I’d be in the position that I’m in now.”
Lively developed quicker than coach Jason Kidd expected, Sefko writes in a separate story. “When we got Lively, we felt it was going to fill one of the holes that Luka was looking for, a vertical guy,” Kidd said. “You could see the future of him being the anchor of the defense. The future just happened to come a lot faster. He wanted that responsibility. Sometimes, young players will shy away from that. But he ran to it.”

Mavs Notes: Luka, Kyrie, Game 1 Takeaways, X-Factors

May 24th, 2024 at 10:57am CST by Rory Maher

The Mavericks were victorious in Game 1 of the Western Conference finals on Tuesday behind 63 combined points from Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. It marked the first Game 1 win of the postseason for Dallas, which was playing on the road in Minnesota.

“We had to work really hard to get this one,” Doncic said, per Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com. “It’s big time. We know how tough it is to play in this place, especially against a team that has so many weapons, so it’s big-time to take this one. But it’s only one. We got three more to go.”

As Sam Amick of The Athletic writes, Irving was scorching hot in the first half, scoring 24 points on 11-of-14 shooting while being hounded by Anthony Edwards. It’s the latest example of Irving’s “basketball renaissance,” according to Amick, who points out that the 31-year-old has become a leader for the Mavericks and a key voice in the ear of Doncic.

“At times when he reacted to turnovers (in Game 1), or passes that didn’t convert to baskets for us, I was just reminding him to keep his head up and realize where we are, the magnitude of this,” Irving said of Doncic. “A lot of guys look to him for emotional stability, and emotional strength. We know he’s one of the best scorers of all time… and he’s going out there and not necessarily playing well offensively in the first half.

“(But) I know in the second half, he’s gonna be aggressive. We’ve been able to figure out that one-two punch of just playing the point guard role, playing that main scorer’s role and just not lacking in other areas in the basketball game. He can do other things, and I can do other things other than scoring. So when it’s his time to score, it’s my time to play defense and get up in a guy and contest shots and continue to do the little things that get us wins.”

Doncic was sensational closing the game, scoring 15 points on 5-of-8 shooting in the fourth quarter while making key defensive plays. He praised Irving’s first-half effort for keeping Dallas afloat, according to Sefko.

“That was big time,” Doncic said of Irving. “We probably would have been down 20 if he hadn’t scored that many points. I appreciate him keeping us in the game.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

The Timberwolves largely chose to stay at home on shooters in Game 1, limiting Dallas to just 6-of-25 (24.0%) from long distance, writes Tim Cato of The Athletic. Minnesota, by contrast, was 18-of-49 (36.7%) from deep. Being minus-36 points from three is typically a recipe for disaster, but the Mavs found success in the paint (62-38) and on the boards (48-40), showing the team’s ability to adapt, Cato notes. “We’re going to take whatever you give us,” head coach Jason Kidd said. “We want to promote 3s, but if you take the 3s away when you have that many points in the paint against the No. 1 team defensively, we’ll take it if that’s what you’re going to give us. I thought the group pivoted nicely by understanding what was available on the floor by (Minnesota) taking away the 3s.”
Jon Krawczynski, Zach Harper, Tim Cato and Tobias Bass of The Athletic provide their takeaways from Game 1. Game 2 tips off at 7:30 pm CT on Thursday.
ESPN insiders Tim MacMahon, Dave McMenamin and Brian Windhorst list the role players they believe could be the X-factors for the rest of the series. MacMahon chose Mavs forward P.J. Washington, while McMenamin took Timberwolves forward Jaden McDaniels and Windhorst selected Wolves point guard Mike Conley.

Mavericks Notes: Lively, Kidd, Washington, Doncic

May 22nd, 2024 at 6:43pm CST by Arthur Hill

Mavericks rookie center Dereck Lively II talks about balancing his first NBA playoff experience and his mother’s recent death in a compelling story by Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News.

Townsend notes that Dallas fans have become familiar with Lively’s tragic journey, which saw him use the NIL money from his lone season at Duke to purchase a headstone for his father, who died after years of drug addiction, and a house for his mother, Kathy, who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma 10 years ago. Doctors believed Kathy was in remission, but her health declined in March, causing Lively to miss a game for personal reasons. In mid-April, family members were called to say their final goodbyes.

“Since I lost my father, my biggest fear in life was losing my mother,” Lively said. “You know, when your biggest fear happens, you’re stuck with a hole in your heart. It’s like you think you’ve got to do something to fill that hole, but you really can’t because nothing will fill it.”

Kathy had been an important part of Lively’s rookie season, Townsend adds. She was with him at the draft and had a chance to explain on national television how much it meant to the family to have him selected. They lived together in a Dallas apartment, and she was a regular at home games until her health declined.

“I haven’t really been able to focus on what’s been going on in my life because I’ve been so focused on the basketball,” he said. “I really haven’t had a second to sit down and breathe. I haven’t had a second to kind of digest what’s been going on. I feel like it hits me in waves. One day I can get up and be fine. Another day I’ll wake up and it’s like, ‘S–t, I can’t even get out of bed.’”

There’s more on the Mavericks:

Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News looks at why this year’s team has a better chance of advancing than the 2022 Mavs that also reached the Western Conference finals. Sherrington points out that Dallas has been successful with big and small lineups and has shown an ability to bounce back from tough losses. “This team is probably a little bit more talented than that first group, and that’s not being negative,” coach Jason Kidd said. “This group has a lot of talent.”
P.J. Washington‘s hot streak from beyond the arc could be the X-factor that helps the Mavericks win a title, Mo Dakhil of Bleacher Report observes in an overview of the four remaining teams. Washington shot 31.4% from three-point range during the regular season, but he’s raised that to 40.7% in the playoffs.
Tim Cato of The Athletic talks to Slovenian fans about the extra effort they make to watch Luka Doncic play. Because their nation is seven hours ahead of Dallas, that usually means staying up overnight or waking up very early.

Mavericks Notes: Doncic, Irving, Washington, Kidd

May 11th, 2024 at 9:51pm CST by Arthur Hill

Luka Doncic said “everything” hurt as he left the court after the Mavericks claimed a hard-fought win over Oklahoma City in Game 3 of their playoff series, writes Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News. Doncic hasn’t talked much about his physical condition since spraining his right knee April 26 in the team’s first-round series, but today he admitted that playoff basketball is taking a toll on him.

“I’m battling out there, man,” he said. “I’m glad we got the win. I’m just trying to battle.”

The damage was compounded as Doncic landed hard on his tailbone with 1:28 left to play and tweaked his right knee in the game’s final minute. He appeared “beaten down and exhausted” as he headed to the locker room after the game, according to Townsend.

“On the last play, when I split two defenders, obviously nobody touched me,” Doncic said in a sarcastic reference to the fact no foul was called. “I hurt my knee again, but I’m just trying to battle out there, man. We got a win. That’s all that matters.”

There’s more from Dallas:

Kyrie Irving helped to close out the victory with a clutch left-handed shot in the lane as he and Doncic are proving to be an effective combination in their first postseason together, notes Schuyler Dixon of The Associated Press. They each had 22 points, and Irving was 4-of-4 from the field in the fourth quarter. “One of my coaches just came up to me and said I waited too long, so obviously I’ve got to be better on my end,” Irving said. “We’re going against a young team. So we just want to continue to do the things that get us these W’s, and it starts on the defensive end.”
The February trade for P.J. Washington is paying off at the best possible time, observes Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. Washington followed his 29-point outburst in Game 2 with 27 points on Saturday, sinking 12 combined three-pointers in those two contests. “They’ve been leaving me in the corner so I’m just trying to take my time and knock them down,” Washington said. “They’re open shots, so for me, just take them with confidence. I’ve been working on them. That’s all I’m doing, honestly.”
Head coach Jason Kidd’s contract extension adds two years to his current deal, sources tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (video link). Woj adds that Kidd is now under contract through 2028, though that might be bad math, since he also said the coach’s current deal was set to expire after next season (which lines up with past reports). That would mean Kidd’s new extension runs through the 2026/27 season.

Mavericks Notes: Washington, Doncic, Hardaway Jr., Pace

May 10th, 2024 at 8:23am CST by Dana Gauruder

P.J. Washington proved to be the Mavericks‘ X-factor on Thursday, racking up 29 points and 11 rebounds in Dallas’ 119-110 win over the Thunder in Game 2 of the Western Conference semifinals. Washington, who was added in a trade deadline deal with Charlotte, hadn’t scored more than 18 points or grabbed more than seven rebounds in any of the Mavs’ previous playoff games.

“I felt good last night and this morning,” Washington said after the contest, per Dwain Price of Mavs.com. “Going into the game I had confidence in my shot. I knew I was going to get open corner shots, so I just had to come in here and knock them down.”

We have more on the Mavericks:

There were questions about whether Luka Doncic could play effectively with a sprained right knee after his subpar Game 1 outing. He bounced back with 29 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and three steals in Game 2. A key stat was his 5-for-8 success rate on 3-point tries after going 5-of-35 in the previous four games, Tim MacMahon of ESPN notes. Doncic said he just had to tough it out. “It was just my mentality,” he said. “I think today was one of the hardest game I had to play. I’m battling out there. I try and do my best to help [the] team win with just my mentality. Have a great start, and then the team’s going to follow me.”
Tim Hardaway Jr. missed the last four games of the first round against the Clippers with a sprained right ankle. Hardaway also missed last postseason with a foot injury, so he was just glad to get back in action for Game 1, when he scored two points in 17 minutes. “Being able to go out there and feel the physicality of being on defense and offense – a lot of grabbing, a lot of holding — I’m just extremely happy to be able to accept the challenge. I missed a couple years ago and I’m looking forward to it now,” he told Eddie Sefko of Mavs.com.
Hardaway, who has one year left on his contract, had 17 points in 19 minutes during Game 2. “It was great. We needed him,” Washington told Sefko. “We needed every bit of it. He played his heart out on both ends of the court and I’m glad to finally get a playoff win for him this year.”
While the Thunder have the younger team, the Mavs were successful on Thursday by picking up the pace. They scored 99 points in the first three quarters, Price notes. “We tried to get over the speed limit tonight,” coach Jason Kidd said. “We’ve been under the speed limit. We were more in the school zone speed limit (in Game 1). We were running (Thursday), and we’ve got to continue to keep running if we want to have a chance to win this series.”

Mavericks Notes: Washington, Gafford, Harrison, Clippers

April 28th, 2024 at 4:27pm CST by Alex Kirschenbaum

During the Mavericks’ hard-fought 101-90 Game 3 victory over the Clippers on Friday, power forward P.J. Washington emerged as something of a cult hero for Dallas, providing tough defense and having the backs of his star players, writes Tim MacMahon of ESPN.

Washington’s tough, physical play eventually resulted in an ejection following a fracas with Clippers reserve guard Russell Westbrook. Westbrook had pulled on All-Star Mavericks guard Luka Doncic‘s arm during a play, and the two subsequently got into it before Washington, who grew up in Dallas, stepped in.

“Always got to protect 77 at all costs,” Washington told MacMahon, referring to Doncic’s jersey number. “So I mean obviously it was a hard foul and then he pushed him afterwards, so I was right there and I just had to step into it.”

Washington and Westbrook were both kicked out of the contest following the dispute. Washington finished with 10 points, five rebounds, and three steals.

“The things he does, he’s a team player,” Doncic said. “He helps all of us. I’m just really happy we’ve got him on our team.”

There’s more out of Dallas:

The Mavericks became a sneaky playoff contender thanks to two relatively unheralded trade additions at the deadline, MacMahon writes in a separate piece. Rim-rolling big men Daniel Gafford and Washington have already made a big impact for Dallas on both ends of the hardwood, helping the club establish a frontline presence it had previously lacked. Team president Nico Harrison reflected on how the high-flying duo has made Dallas, up 2-1 against the loaded Clippers in the first round of the playoffs, a major threat in the West — not just this season, but beyond it, too. “It wasn’t really about winning right now,” Harrison told MacMahon. “It was just about continuing to build it. It’s like every step is, how do we continue to get better? And we’re not built for just right now; we’re built for the next three playoff runs.”
During their Game 3 victory, the Mavericks showcased the new, lob-heavy style of play that has made them so difficult to defeat thus far in the playoffs, writes Tim Cato of The Athletic. Dallas’ physicality, athleticism and strength has reinvigorated the team, a year after it missed the play-in tournament entirely. Dallas is allowing the Clippers to shoot just 51.6% at the rim in this series, thanks to the sturdy paint protection of newly-acquired Gafford and rookie Dereck Lively II.
Gafford explained how he shook off a disappointing first two games against the Clippers for an assertive early run in Game 3, per Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News. He notched eight points, four rebounds, three blocks and two steals in a defense-first performance, while playing through an ailing back. “Game 1, I got hit in the mouth. Game 2, my back almost gave out on me,” Gafford said. “From the time I’ve been in the league, I’ve learned not to pay attention to any of the outside noise… I pay attention to the inner circle, and that’s my team at the end of the day. We all we got. It’s us against the world. We’re one of the best teams in the league and we’re trying to fight for something.” Gafford is in the first season of a three-year, $40.2MM deal he inked while with the Wizards, and if he keeps up this play, he’ll be a steal.

Mavs Notes: Washington, Gafford, THJ, Lively, Kidd, Harrison, Kyrie

April 19th, 2024 at 9:28pm CST by Luke Adams

Few NBA teams could argue they had a better trade deadline this season than the Mavericks, who fortified their rotation by acquiring P.J. Washington from Charlotte and Daniel Gafford from Washington. Dallas has been on a roll since those two new additions debuted on February 10, going 21-9 during that stretch, including a 16-2 run from March 7 to April 10.

Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News takes a closer look at how Washington, who grew up rooting for the Mavs, got to achieve a childhood dream by suiting up for his hometown team, while Kevin Sherrington of The Dallas Morning News (subscriber link) explores the impact Gafford has had since he arrived in Dallas.

As Sherrington writes, the Mavs are 18-3 in games Gafford has started, as he and Washington have helped turn the team into a genuine threat to make a playoff run. Six weeks ago, just avoiding the play-in and having a competitive first-round series might have been a realistic goal for the club, but now the Mavs looks like they could be the best team in the West besides Denver, Sherrington says.

Here’s more out of Dallas:

Veteran Mavs swingman Tim Hardaway Jr. didn’t practice on Friday due to an illness, but he’ll join the team in Los Angeles, per head coach Jason Kidd, and there’s no indication his availability for Sunday’s Game 1 is in jeopardy at this point. (Twitter link via Townsend). Kidd also said that big man Dereck Lively (knee) has looked good this week and is trending toward playing on Sunday.
Kidd and Nico Harrison are both in the third season of four-year contracts, according to Townsend, who opines in a Morning News column that the Mavs’ head coach and general manager have done enough this year to warrant contract extensions this offseason. Those decisions will be made by a new-look ownership group led by governor Patrick Dumont.
Kyrie Irving would have accepted an invitation to play for Team USA this summer if he had received one, but won’t hold any grudges for not being selected, telling reporters on Thursday that “the deliberation process was a tough one” for USA Basketball, as Mike Curtis of The Dallas Morning News relays. “I would’ve loved to, but I wish my brothers well and I just didn’t fit in to this team,” Irving said. “… At this point in my career, I think my focus should be on winning the championship and in the summertime, just going to support those guys when I get a chance.”

Mavericks Notes: Luka, Kyrie, Harrison, Kidd, More

April 11th, 2024 at 2:08pm CST by Rory Maher

During Wednesday’s matchup in Miami, which was a blowout win for Dallas, members of the Mavericks organization wore shirts saying “Pravi MVP,” which translates from Slovenian to English as real or true MVP, referencing the excellent season by Luka Doncic, writes Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press.

Doncic, who has made the All-NBA First Team each of the past four seasons, is a top contender for the MVP award. However, it’s “generally expected” that Nuggets center Nikola Jokic will claim the trophy for the third time in the past four seasons, Reynolds notes.

While he may not win his first MVP in 2023/24, Doncic’s coaches and teammates certainly think he deserves it.

“He’s the real MVP. … I think his resume is better than anybody else’s resume,” forward P.J. Washington said. “I don’t feel like there’s a complete argument that anybody had a better season this year.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

Eight-time All-Star Kyrie Irving earned a $1MM bonus on Wednesday for a combination of playing 50-plus games and the Mavs winning their 50th game, tweets ESPN’s Bobby Marks. The bonus was considered unlikely since Dallas only won 38 games last season. As Marks observes, Irving’s cap hit for 2023/24 will now be $38.04MM, and his ’24/25 figure will be adjusted up to $41MM. Irving has been instrumental in the team’s success this season, according to Tim MacMahon of ESPN (Twitter link), who notes that Dallas is 39-19 when Irving plays, including 24-7 over his past 31 appearances.
In an interview with Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (subscription required), Mavs general manager Nico Harrison discussed a number of topics, including the job performance of head coach Jason Kidd and his staff. Harrison praised Kidd, who reportedly has one more year left on his contract and hopes to sign an extension with Dallas this offseason. “The coaches have done a great job,” Harrison told Townsend. “One, when you have two superstar players, first and foremost, getting those guys to play together at a high level and respect each other’s play and to play together, you always have to take a little bit off your game for the success of the team. To be able to do that is remarkable. Jason and his staff have done that at a high level. We’re not successful if that doesn’t happen.”
Regarding the trade-deadline acquisitions of Washington and center Daniel Gafford, Harrison said that while the two players were high on Dallas’ priority list, the front office was also working on multiple other deals at the time in case talks fell apart. He said he’s been pleased with how the two veterans have fit in thus far, according to Townsend. “I think if you go back to last year, the exit interview that we did, admittedly we didn’t do what we wanted to do,” Harrison said as part of a larger quote. “But we didn’t have the right players around those two guys (Doncic and Irving). We feel like we started that during the summer, getting longer, getting more athletic, getting better defensively. And then also in the draft with (Dereck) Lively. And then we just continue. The message hasn’t changed. The goal hasn’t changed. Now you do it with P.J., now you do it with Gafford. We’ve just continued with building it the same way that we talked about.”

Mavs Notes: Washington, Williams, Luka, First-Round Pick, Kyrie

April 10th, 2024 at 8:48am CST by Luke Adams

Two months after being traded from the Hornets to the Mavericks, P.J. Washington returned home on Tuesday night, relishing the opportunity to see his family and to play in front of the fans in Charlotte, according to Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer.

“It was great, just being able to cheer for me one last time in this arena,” Washington said. “It meant the world to me. Being drafted here and obviously (having spent) my whole career here. So, it just meant a lot for sure.”

It has been a whirlwind couple months for Washington, who is still adjusting to playing for a new NBA team after spending the first four-and-a-half seasons of his career with the Hornets. But he has no complaints about getting the opportunity to play alongside stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving for a Mavericks team that clinched its spot in the playoffs with Tuesday’s blowout victory over Charlotte.

“It’s been great,” Washington said. “It’s two of the best to ever play the game, so it makes it a lot easier for me. They bring so much attention, which opens up the game for a lot of different people. So, they’ve made it a lot easier for me for sure.”

Head coach Jason Kidd appreciates what Washington has brought to the club: “(He has) the ability to play both sides — offense and defense. You could see when one of the guys are out — Luka, Ky — he’s stepped up for us. He’s given us an offensive spark. And then when you look at the defensive end, he’s been able to guard 1-5. He’s helped us here since March 7 be the No. 1 defensive team in the league. And he’s a pro. He comes to work every day, never complains, and he’s one of the few that when he runs out, comes out of the game, he gives you five. And that’s just a character thing that he has. He’s about the team and he just wants to win.”

Here’s more on the Mavs:

While there were some rumors that Hornets forward Grant Williams wore out his welcome in Dallas or rubbed Doncic the wrong way, Luka said he has no issues with his former teammate. “Grant is a great guy,” Doncic said. “We have a good relationship. Outside, some people say we don’t. But we have (one).”
Williams has been playing better in Charlotte than he did in Dallas, making the deadline deal a success so far for both the Mavericks and Hornets, writes Boone. “Yeah, I think when you look at the trade it is a win-win,” Kidd said. “Grant’s doing an incredible job here (in Charlotte), You look at playing the five or playing whatever position they’ve asked him to play. He’s shooting the ball, he’s making decisions, he’s posting up, he’s guarding the five on the other end. So, I think he’s done an incredible job since the trade.”
Having clinched a playoff spot, the Mavericks will send their 2024 first-round pick to the Knicks, closing the book on the blockbuster 2019 Kristaps Porzingis trade, notes Bobby Marks of ESPN (via Twitter). Dallas’ pick currently projects to be No. 25 overall — a year ago the Mavs tanked their final game of the season to ensure they’d avoid sending their top-10 protected first-rounder to New York.
After last season’s second-half collapse, there were some questions about how the backcourt pairing of Doncic and Irving would mesh going forward, but the duo has thrived in 2023/24. According to Doncic, having Irving in Dallas has been a “blessing,” per Brad Townsend of The Dallas Morning News (Twitter link). “Obviously on the court everybody knows what kind of player he is,” Doncic said. “Off the court he helps me a lot — not just me but the whole team. He knows how to win the championship. He’s a very humble guy. Great guy.”

Load More Posts