The Dallas Mavericks were hit hard by the loss of their prized rookie Luka Doncic to a reported $100 million offer from the Los Angeles Lakers. The Mavs lost two players in response and could now be looking at up to six new additions this summer. How will they fare next season?
Luka Doncic was injured during the Dallas Mavericks game against the New Orleans Pelicans. The injury is not considered serious, and he should be back in a few weeks. The Mavs have signed two players to help fill the void left by Luka’s absence while he recovers from his injury.
Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks, courtesy of Justin Ford/Getty
The NBA’s health and safety rules continue to be terrible news for the Dallas Mavericks. Shams Charania of Shams Charania announced on Wednesday afternoon that both Luka Doncic and Trey Burke have entered the league’s procedures. With Maxi Kleber, Reggie Bullock, and Josh Green already out, the Mavs now have five players in protocol.
With a bad ankle, Doncic had already missed the team’s previous five games. He’s averaging 25.6 points, 8.5 assists, and 8 rebounds per game this season. Burke has been a valuable asset off the bench for Dallas this season, averaging 7.5 points and 2.2 assists per game.
In addition to the news concerning Doncic, Burke Charania reported that the Mavericks had signed guard Carlik Jones of the G-Texas League’s Legends to a 10-day hardship contract. According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the franchise will also sign Brandon Knight of the G-Sioux League’s Falls Skyforce to a comparable contract.
Jones and Knight’s backstories
Jones has had a solid season in the G League, having appeared in ten games. In his debut season of professional basketball, he has averaged 20.2 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 4.7 assists. Jones had played three seasons of collegiate basketball at Radford before moving to Louisville for the 2020-21 season. During his collegiate career, he averaged 15.9 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 4.7 assists per game. In 2020, he was voted Big South Player of the Year, and in 2021, he was chosen first team All-ACC.
Knight, on the other hand, has been in the NBA for nine years. He’s most recently appeared in 11 G League games this season, averaging 21.3 points, 5.5 assists, and 4.6 rebounds per game. Knight has averaged 14.1 points, 4 assists, and 3.1 rebounds per game in the NBA. Knight has spent his NBA career with six different clubs, including the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons in 2019-20.
What Jones and Knight Bring to the Table
Most significantly, with COVID-19 turning the Mavs’ roster upside-down, Jones and Knight offer depth in a weakened backcourt. Both are excellent ball handlers who can relieve some of the load and strain on Jalen Brunson, who has been trying his best to keep the Mavs afloat in recent games sans Doncic, averaging 20.4 points per game in those five games.
In the absence of many players, Jones and Knight should be able to give the Mavs with a scoring punch. Knight is also a lifetime 35.5 percent three-point shooter who can help the club spread the floor.
The Influence of Christmas Day
The Mavericks are now set to face the Utah Jazz in the nightcap game on Christmas Day (10:30 p.m. ET). Given Doncic’s and Burke’s late inclusion in the league’s procedures, it’s doubtful that either will be available to play. It’s also unclear if Bullock, Kleber, or Green will be able to play. Kristaps Porzingis’ health is also in doubt, since he is classified as day-to-day due to a foot issue.
Furthermore, the Mavericks will almost probably be at a disadvantage versus the Jazz. Utah is one of the league’s healthiest teams, with no players presently under the league’s health and safety standards.
Mavericks News Gets Even Heavier
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The “dallas mavericks news” is a sports-related article. The Dallas Mavericks lost their star player, Luka Doncic to the NBA’s Protocols. They have since added two reinforcements in the form of DeAndre Jordan and Wesley Matthews.
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