Dallas Mavericks: 5 reasons Luka Doncic was a good pick

4. Backcourt fit

In the 2017 NBA Draft, the Mavericks selected point guard Dennis Smith Jr. with the No. 9 overall pick. The high-flying rookie made his mark, averaging 15.2 points, 5.2 assists and 3.8 rebounds per game.

Smith facilitated alongside J.J. Barea, who led the team with 6.2 assists per game. They were the only two Mavericks to average more than 3.0 assists per game.

There likely won’t be a problem with fit as Dallas lacks playmakers. The Mavericks ranked 19th in assists and 24th in offensive rating (106.3). They were also 28th in the league in scoring with 102.3 points per game.

Doncic could fix those problems immediately with his great vision, and DSJ seems to understand that too:

https://twitter.com/Dennis1SmithJr/status/1009947062912372736

Per 36 minutes, Doncic averaged 6.6 assists per game. He would take pressure off both Smith and Barea, and could serve as the team’s primary ball-handler in spots. The team’s ball movement would also benefit from his unselfish play.